‘How the once most-advanced railway system declined to the current state’: Chinese op-ed on Odisha accident

An op-ed, published in a Chinese media outlet, while expressing their condolences for the Balasore train accident victims, said that it is incomprehensible how a railway system that was deemed the most-advanced at one point has “declined to its current state”. It also said that India could learn from China’s modernisation in this regard. The op-ed stated that there is dual nature in India’s industrialisation and development process.

The op-ed, published for Chinese state mouthpiece, Global Times, has said that the Indian railway network was once a source of pride for the British empire and was considered a significant asset in 1947, at the time of India’s independence. “It is astonishing that more than 70 years after the British colonial era, India's railways have experienced such a tragic accident. It is difficult to comprehend how a railway system that was once regarded as the most advanced in the world could have "declined" to its current state,” it said.

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It acknowledged India’s progress in the investment in railway infrastructure and the electrification of railroads, adding that these are “certainly noteworthy and worth bragging about”. The Chinese op-ed said that India’s pace of development should not be disregarded but there is a dual nature to it.

If on one hand India has demonstrated its ability to produce advanced rockets and missiles, on the other hand its foundation remains relatively weak, posing risks of setbacks and regression, the op-ed stated.

China too faced challenges and obstacles in the development of its railway systems, it stated, further adding that India’s situation is unique.

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It said that fortunately, the dichotomy of Made in India does not extend to the highly sophisticated sectors of rockets and missiles, or the consequences would have been unimaginable.

“The problems revealed by this train accident highlight the issues that need to be addressed in India's next phase of industrialisation. It is crucial to recognise that these problems cannot be swiftly and smoothly solved solely by relying on India's proud democratic political system,” it added.

The Chinese op-ed said that India needs not to catch up or surpass other countries but focus on improving the quality of its population through solid and practical measures.

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It said that India could learn from China’s modernisation that sustainable development is difficult to achieve without modernisation of its people and the improvement of software aspects. Simply meeting modernisation standards in terms of infrastructure won’t cut it for India, especially considering its population, the op-ed added.

The Chinese op-ed came days after a passenger train, Coromandel Express, hit a stationary freight train, leading to the death of 275 people and injuring over 1,000 people. Once the passenger train hit the freight train, the coaches hit another passenger train passing in the opposite direction. Non-stop efforts to rescue the survivors and clear and repair the track ensued. However, as of Monday evening, around 100 bodies were yet to be identified.

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