Most of the accidents happen due to human failure and the a govt organisation like IR is not in a position to enforce strict discipline on duty may be due to loose laws or pressure of unions. IR cannot go for more and more automation as it shall be coupled with the reduction in the number of jobs which unions as well as govt does not like. India need more jobs for its burgeoning population which is still growing at alarming rate & no concrete efforts had been made since decades to eradicate the biggest problem of our nation. Even automation can reduce the human involvement but cannot totally eliminate. So the probability of accidents shall always be there for IR.
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Many accidents happen due to sabotage. Hence, zero accident cannot be achieved in a loosely governed and banana republic of India. Very poor law & order situation in many parts of country and people getting away easily after damaging national properties like Rlys, roads etc. There is no practice of enforcing strict punishments to ones proven guilty of damaging railway track/ trains etc.
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At the most IR may go for modernisation and reduce the rate of happening of accidents. Practically, making IR a zero accident rail is too big (funny) a claim.