Lok Sabha Question No. 6010 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-04-04
Subject: Unmanned Railway Crossings
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: VINOD KUMAR SONKAR, SANJAY JAISWAL, ADVOCATE NARENDRA KESHAV SAWAIKAR

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 6010 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.04.2018

## UNMANNED RAILWAY CROSSINGS

†6010.      SHRI VINOD KUMAR SONKAR: DR. SANJAY JAISWAL: ADV. NARENDRA KESHAV SAWAIKAR:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state :

- (a) the number of unmanned crossings in the country, zone-wise;
- (b) the number of road-railways crossings (Level Crossings) without gates, zone-wise;
- (c) the reasons behind the deaths at the level crossings; and
- (d) the measures taken by the Government to control these deaths?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

(SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)

- (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 UNSTARRED QUESTION  NO.  6010  BY  SHRI  VINOD  KUMAR  SONKAR,  DR.  SANJAY JAISWAL AND ADV. NARENDRA KESHAV SAWAIKAR TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 04.04.2018 REGARDING UNMANNED RAILWAY CROSSINGS

(a)  &  (b):  Zone-wise  number  of  unmanned  level  crossings  (UMLCs)  as  on 01.04.2017 is as follows:

| SN   | Zonal Railway              |   Number of unmanned level crossings |
|------|----------------------------|--------------------------------------|
| 1    | Central Railway            |                                  109 |
| 2    | Eastern Railway            |                                    5 |
| 3    | East Central Railway       |                                  684 |
| 4    | East Coast Railway         |                                  185 |
| 5    | Northern Railway           |                                  824 |
| 6    | North Central Railway      |                                  327 |
| 7    | North Eastern Railway      |                                  728 |
| 8    | Northeast Frontier Railway |                                  448 |
| 9    | North Western Railway      |                                  796 |
| 10   | Southern Railway           |                                  451 |
| 11   | South Central Railway      |                                  331 |
| 12   | South Eastern Railway      |                                  361 |
| 13   | South East Central Railway |                                  278 |
| 14   | South Western Railway      |                                  267 |
| 15   | Western Railway            |                                 1907 |
| 16   | West Central Railway       |                                    0 |
|      | Total                      |                                 7701 |

(c):  As  per  Section  131  of  Motor  Vehicle  Act  and  Section  161  of  Indian Railway Act, the onus for safe movement over UMLC has been put entirely on the road users, for which very stringent provisions have been enunciated in both  the  Acts.    Accidents  are  taking  place  at  Unmanned/Manned  level crossings due to negligence of road users.

(d): It has been decided to eliminate all Unmanned Level Crossings (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.

Other steps taken to avoid accidents at level crossings are as follows:

- (i) Global  Positioning  System  (GPS)  tracker  to  ensure  presence  of  Gate Mitra at UMLCs will be provided by June 2018.
- (ii) Public  awareness  campaigns  are  being  done  at  different  places  like villages,  Gram  Panchayat,  weekly  market,  bus  stands,  schools  and  other public places.
- (iii) Periodic inspection of such level crossings is being carried out.
- (iv) Social  awareness  campaigns  are  being  done  to  educate  road  users with the use of print and electronic media for observance of safe practices prescribed in Motor Vehicles Act and Indian Railways Act.
- (v) Short  Message  Service  (SMS)  campaigns  are  being  done  to  create awareness amongst road users.
- (vi) Nukkad Nataks are being organized at public places with theme 'Safety at Level Crossings'.
- (vii)   Joint  ambush  checks  along  with  civil  police  are  being  carried  out  to counter misadventure in front of approaching trains.

(viii)  Level crossing awareness week is being organized every year in June by the Zonal Railways.

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