(1)Increasing speed and creation of mobility directorate is a good step, if implemented properly.
(2) If speeds are increased after adequate strengthening of track and other necessary preparations, it is good for IR and public alike. And if speed is increased without these measures, it is a very bad for IR as well as public and is an open invitation to accident.
(3) Big accidents with heavy casualties do happen at least once every 5-10 years since introduction of Railways in India. It does not mean that we stop planning...
more... for higher speed. Had our ancestors thought that way, IR would have operated trains today at vintage speeds of 30-60 kmph!!
(4) Every accident must be taken as a bitter lesson and an opportunity to make improvements in the system. This calls for safety audit of whole gamut of IR operation, especially with the root cause(s) of the accident in mind. Similar accidents happening again and again shows that these lessons are never learnt, or even if learnt are forgotten soon.
(5) Practical problems often arise due to hurry, as govt always want to complete projects being implemented within its tenure so as to get political mileage, as majority of public tend to give credit to person cutting the inaugural ribbon. There should be no undue hurry in increasing speed of trains which is a safety critical activity, esp without carrying out necessary studies and on site upgradation/ preparations.