It comes as a part and parcel of being a Government Organization.
We're not exactly closer to Japanese when it comes to Work ethics add that to what you mentioned about job security and lack of accountability.
Also since Politicians and Bureaucrats are involved even transparency is limited, people remember accidents but tend to forget about the reason behind them, no one even remembers or even looks at accident report- media doesn't care, they go for breaking news and entertainment.
Here...
more... even when trivial things like catering are given to Private Sector they become pathetic and chaotic. Some years ago it was tried by IRCTC and then taken back. Vendors focused on looting as much as possible without any accountability- which comes as a direct result of approving the lowest bid given.