Railway Alcohol Rule Review After Fatal Train Crash

The Indian Railway Board is deliberating whether to discipline loco pilots for trace amounts of alcohol detected in blood tests, even when breathalyser results are negative. This critical review stems from the fatal 2025 Bilaspur train collision that claimed 12 lives.

Officials and the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) are questioning the current zero-alcohol mandate, citing the limitations of laboratory testing accuracy for minute alcohol concentrations. These concerns were highlighted after the CRS investigation into the November 4, 2025, accident where a passenger train hit a stationary goods train near Bilaspur.

The investigation noted that while breathalyser tests for the running crew showed zero alcohol, subsequent blood tests revealed ethanol levels between 3 to 10 milligrams per 100 millilitres of blood. This discrepancy has fueled the debate over how to interpret such readings.

Existing Indian Railway Medical Manual (IRMM) rules require zero blood alcohol for train operating staff. However, medical directors have indicated that some private labs struggle to precisely measure alcohol below 3 mg/dL, and levels up to 10 mg/dL can occur due to metabolic processes unrelated to consumption.

Railway unions, like the All India Loco Running Staff Association, advocate for a review, pointing to scientific studies suggesting non-drinkers can register low blood alcohol levels. They also reference the Motor Vehicles Act, which defines an offence at 30 mg/dL, much higher than the levels currently in question for railway staff.