Prayagraj: In a major policy shift aimed at preventing train accidents, the Railway Board has decided to remove private agencies from the quality inspection of critical safety components such as brakes, wheels, springs and couplers..Irrespective of the cost or quantity covered by the purchase order, these components will now be inspected by experts from the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO), the railways’ apex technical body.The decision reverses a key provision of the third-party inspection policy introduced by the Railway Board on Jan 4, 2023. Under the policy, the inspection of several railway equipment and components could be assigned to private agencies depending on the value and quantity of purchase orders. The objective was to speed up inspection and reduce the workload on RDSO.However, concerns emerged over the quality of some safety-related components despite third-party inspection. Field-level technical problems, including hot axle incidents involving wheel seizure, coupler failures between wagons, defects in coach springs and brake binding, were repeatedly reported, raising concerns over the safety of trains and freight operations.A review at the senior level found that monitoring by private agencies in the case of safety-critical components was not adequate, prompting the Railway Board to revise the inspection arrangement. The railways has decided that there will be no compromise on the safety of passengers, rolling stock and freight operations.A senior official of the Board said that the air brake systems of freight trains, CTRB bearings of wheels, coach components and CBC couplers will now mandatorily be inspected by RDSO, irrespective of the number or value of the purchase order.The Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) has also been directed to make the necessary changes in the procurement portal to reflect the revised inspection requirements.The move will bring the inspection of critical components directly under railway technical experts and is aimed at preventing the supply of substandard parts. The Railway Board expects the tighter inspection mechanism to strengthen quality control and reduce the risk arising from defects in components crucial to safe train operations.