CAG Flags 20,304 Unfinished Railway Safety Works, Questions RRSK Fund Use

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has raised concerns over delays in railway safety improvements, reporting that 20,304 safety-related works remained incomplete during 2024-25. The findings were part of an audit review of Indian Railways’ finances and accounts for the year ended March 2025, tabled in Parliament on Wednesday.

The report noted that the pending works cover areas such as track renewals, bridge rehabilitation, signalling upgrades, level-crossing elimination, electronic interlocking and replacement of ageing safety equipment. The CAG did not provide a project-wise breakdown or specify how many of the 20,304 works had been pending for a particular number of years. However, its audit flagged a continuing backlog of safety and asset-renewal projects.

Delays in such works can leave ageing tracks, bridges and signalling infrastructure in service for longer than planned, potentially increasing risks associated with derailments, signalling failures, track defects and level-crossing accidents. The audit also found that under-provisioning for depreciation had resulted in ₹6,448 crore worth of renewal and replacement works being carried forward up to 2024-25.

The CAG separately highlighted a major shortfall in contributions to the Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh (RRSK), the dedicated fund for railway safety. During its first five years, Indian Railways contributed only ₹5,324.62 crore against the planned ₹25,000 crore, achieving 21.30% of the target.

The audit further found that ₹823.14 crore under RRSK was allocated to non-priority works. Between 2022-23 and 2024-25, another ₹3,397.60 crore from the fund was used for non-priority projects, reducing resources available for critical safety works.

Overall, Indian Railways’ expenditure rose 3.36% to ₹5.32 lakh crore in 2024-25, while gross traffic earnings increased 3.86% to ₹2.65 lakh crore. However, its net surplus fell to ₹2,660.28 crore from ₹3,259.68 crore a year earlier.

The CAG also flagged ₹19,458.25 crore in unsanctioned expenditure across 1,321 cases, highlighting broader concerns over financial management alongside the delays in safety-related works.