Increase in train derailments from 2000 to 2023

By Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama  

There has been an increase in train derailmentsbetween 2000 and 2023, according to surveys conducted by the Railways Department.  

Accordingly, it has been revealed that train derailments in 2022 and 2023 have doubled compared to 2020 and 2021.  

There have been 98 train derailments in 2020, among which 54 have been in railway yards and another 44 on railway tracks.  

The number of train derailments in 2021 was 115. There have  been 75 derailments on railway lines, and the remaining 40 have  occurred in railway yards.  
By 2022, the number of train derailments had increased to 133; 94 of them have happened on railway tracks.  

Moreover, the department said trains had carried passengers at the time of each derailment.