New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Railways to file a more specific affidavit detailing the measures and timelines for improving safety at railway tracks and level crossings, noting that the report submitted in court did not specify any concrete schedule.
A Bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and K. Vinod Chandran was hearing miscellaneous applications in appeals concerning passenger safety. The report submitted by the Railways highlighted several issues requiring attention. The Additional Solicitor General, appearing for the Railways, clarified that these were not to be treated as formal priorities but were intended to indicate areas where certain system-safety decisions had been taken.
After reviewing the material, the Court observed that the “initial focus” must be on the safety of tracks and level crossings, from which other improvements would follow. The Bench noted that although the Railways had outlined broad proposals, it had failed to provide definite timelines. The Court therefore required the ASG to file a more comprehensive affidavit addressing the two issues listed at Items 3 and 7 of the Railways’ report.
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During the hearing, the Amicus Curiae also drew the Court’s attention to another concern: passengers who purchase tickets online receive accident insurance cover, whereas those buying tickets offline do not. The Court asked the Railways to explain the basis for this distinction and directed the ASG to seek instructions on the point.
As for the remaining matters in the Railways’ plan, the Court allowed the authorities to continue their ongoing efforts to strengthen the system. However, the Railways have been directed to file the affidavit addressing the two highlighted safety issues and the insurance disparity before the next listing.
The applications have been listed for 13 January 2026.
Case Title – Union of India v. Radha Yadav
