Lok Sabha Question No. 263 (STARRED), answered on 2018-03-14
Subject: Unmanned Level Crossings
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: HARISH DWIVEDI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 263 TO BE ANSWERED ON 14.03.2018

UNMANNED LEVEL CROSSINGS

†*263.    SHRI HARISH CHANDRA ALIAS HARISH DWIVEDI:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state :

- (a) the guidelines/norms prepared by the Government to convert unmanned railway level crossings into manned ones;

(b) the  number  of  accidents  that  took  place  at  unmanned  railway  level crossings during the last three years, State-wise;

(c) whether the Government is formulating/running any scheme to convert unmanned railway level crossings into manned ones; and

- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COAL

(SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

- (a) to (d): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (d)  OF  STARRED QUESTION NO. 263 BY SHRI HARISH CHANDRA ALIAS HARISH DWIVEDI TO BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  14.03.2018  REGARDING  UNMANNED LEVEL CROSSINGS

(a) to (d): Unmanned level crossings (UMLCs) are safety hazard for both rail as  well  as  road  users.    Accordingly  it  has  been  decided  to  eliminate  all UMLCs on Broad Gauge (BG) route in next 2 years by either of the following methods:-

-  Closure  -  Closing  unmanned  level  crossings  having  NIL/  negligible Train Vehicle Unit (TVU).
-  Merger  -  Merger  of  unmanned  level  crossing  to  nearby  manned  or unmanned gates or subway/Road Under Bridge (RUB)/Road Over Bridge (ROB) by construction of diversion road.
-  Provision of Subways/RUBs.
-  Manning - The unmanned level crossings which cannot be eliminated by above means will be progressively manned based on rail-road traffic volume, visibility conditions.

The position of elimination of UMLCs is as under:

-  As on 01.04.2017, there were 4943 unmanned level crossings out of these 1500 UMLCs on BG have been targeted for eliminations during 2017-18. During  the  year  upto  Feb'2018,  1252  UMLCs  have  been  eliminated  and target  of  elimination  of  1500  UMLCs  will  be  achieved  in  the  current financial year 2017-18.
-  As on 01.04.2017, there were 272 unmanned level crossings on A, B and C routes (Routes having speed more than 100 Kmph and suburban Routes). During  the  year  upto  Feb'2018,  130  UMLCs  have  been  eliminated.  All UMLCs on these routes will be eliminated by May'2018 which constitutes approx. 31% of total IR Route Km on BG.

-  West  Central  Railway  and  Central  Railway  became  UMLC  on  BG  free Railway. Two more Railways, Eastern and South East Central Railway will also become free from UMLC on BG by 31 st  March, 2018.
-  It  has  been  decided  to  retain  482  UMLCs  having  low  TVU,  on  Routes having meagre traffic etc.
-  With  likely  elimination  of  1500  UMLCs  in  the  current  financial  year  and retention  of  482  low  TVU  UMLCs,  balance  3055  UMLCs  will  be  left  for elimination in next two financial years i.e. 2018-19 & 2019-20.
-  Programme for elimination of balance 3055 UMLCs is as under:

|   SN | Financial year   |   Target for Elimination of UMLCs |
|------|------------------|-----------------------------------|
|    1 | 2018-19          |                              1500 |
|    2 | 2019-20          |                              1555 |

Till  elimination  of all  UMLCs, it has been decided to deploy Gate Mitras (a  person  deployed  at  UMLC  to  guide  and  educate  road  users  passing through  the  level  crossing  to  spread  awareness  regarding  safety  during crossing the Level Crossing) to enhance safety. At all UMLCs, Gate Mitras have  already  been  deployed  in  single  shift.  Second  Gate  Mitra  in  evening shift has been deployed at all identified UMLCs on BG except 36 of Northern Railway, which will be ensured by 31.03.2018.

-  There are 1524 UMLCs on Meter Gauge (MG).  UMLCs on MG (3479 Km) planned for elimination during gauge conversion. Complete MG except 60 Km has been included in Budget.
-  There are 1234 UMLCs on Narrow Gauge (NG).  UMLCs on NG (2208 Km) planned for elimination during gauge conversion. Complete NG except 715 Km has been included in Budget.

So far  as  details  of  accident  at  UMLCs  is  concerned,  State-wise  details  of accidents at unmanned level crossings are not being maintained.  However, Zone-wise number of accidents occurred at unmanned level crossings during 2014-15 to 2017-18 (upto Feb'2018) is as follows:

| SN   | Zonal Railway              | 2014-15   |   2015-16 |   2016-17 |   2017-18 (upto Feb'2018) |
|------|----------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|---------------------------|
| 1    | Central Railway 0          |           |         0 |         0 |                         0 |
| 2    | Eastern Railway            | 0         |         0 |         1 |                         0 |
| 3    | East Central Railway       | 5         |         0 |         4 |                         2 |
| 4    | East Coast Railway         | 2         |         0 |         0 |                         0 |
| 5    | Northern Railway           | 9         |         9 |         4 |                         3 |
| 6    | North Central Railway      | 1         |         1 |         1 |                         2 |
| 7    | North Eastern Railway      | 6         |         5 |         2 |                         1 |
| 8    | Northeast Frontier Railway | 0         |         2 |         3 |                         0 |
| 9    | North Western Railway      | 8         |         7 |         2 |                         1 |
| 10   | Southern Railway           | 2         |         0 |         0 |                         0 |
| 11   | South Central Railway      | 2         |         0 |         0 |                         0 |
| 12   | South Eastern Railway      | 2         |         2 |         1 |                         0 |
| 13   | South East Central Railway | 1         |         0 |         0 |                         0 |
| 14   | South Western Railway      | 5         |         1 |         2 |                         0 |
| 15   | Western Railway            | 6         |         2 |         0 |                         1 |
| 16   | West Central Railway       | 1         |         0 |         0 |                         0 |
|      | Total                      | 50        |        29 |        20 |                        10 |

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