Lok Sabha Question No. 1122 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-02-08
Subject: Compensation to Train Accident Victims
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: RAMACHANDRAN MULLAPPALLY, K. ASHOK KUMAR, SUNIL KUMAR SINGH, HARISH CHANDRA MEENA, C.S. PUTTARAJU, ANTO  ANTONY, M. B. RAJESH, R. VANAROJA, KONDA VISHWESHWAR REDDY, SUSHIL KUMAR SINGH, MANOJ KUMAR TIWARI, S. RAJENDRAN, PRAHLAD SINGH PATEL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1122 TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.02.2017

## COMPENSATION TO TRAIN ACCIDENT VICTIMS

## 1122. SHRI MULLAPPALLY RAMACHANDRAN:

SHRI K. ASHOK KUMAR:

SHRI SUNIL KUMAR SINGH:

SHRI HARISH MEENA:

SHRI C.S. PUTTA RAJU:

SHRI ANTO ANTONY:

SHRI M.B. RAJESH:

SHRIMATI VANAROJA R.:

SHRI RAJESH VERMA:

SHRI KONDA VISHWESHWAR REDDY:

SHRI SUSHIL KUMAR SINGH:

SHRI MANOJ TIWARI:

SHRI S. RAJENDRAN:

SHRI PRAHLAD SINGH PATEL:

## Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  number  of  persons  killed  and  injured  due  to  train  accidents including derailments during the last three years and the current year;
- (b) the details of provisions for giving financial assistance/ compensation  to  the  persons  injured  in  train  accidents  for  their treatment  and  the  relatives  of  the  deceased  along  with  the  total amount of compensation given so far during the above period;
- (c) whether the Government has made any effort to find out the major reasons of train accidents and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the involvement of terrorists/anti-national elements in the train accidents has been identified and if so, the details thereof; and

(e)  the  plans  formulated  and  the  efforts  made  by  the  Government  to

- check train accidents?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## (SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)

- (a) 634 persons were killed and 1078 persons sustained injury due to train accidents including derailments during the last three years and current year (upto 02.02.2017).
- (b)  Ex-gratia  relief  paid  to  the  victims  of  train  accident  (as  defined under Section 123 read with Section 124 of the Railway Act 1989) in case of death, Grievous injury and Simple injury are ` 50,000/-, ` 25,000/and ` 5000/-  respectively.  Further,  compensation  for  death/injury  of railway  passengers  in  train  accidents  is  decided  by  Railway  Claims Tribunal  on  the  basis  of  a  claim  application  filed  before  them.  The scale of compensation as provided in Railway Accident and Untoward Incidents  (Compensation)  Amendment Rules, 2016 are ` 8,00,000/-  for death and ` 64,000/- to ` 8,00,000/- for injury depending upon the gravity of injury. Railway has paid ` 822.81 Lakhs as compensation during the period.
- (c)  The  major  reasons  for  train  accidents  including  Unmanned  Level Crossings  are  attributable  to  human  failure  (both  Railway  Staff  and

General  Public),  failure  of  equipments,  sabotage,  combination  of factors and incidental.

(d)  Policing  on  Railways  being  a  State  subject,  prevention  of  crime, registration of cases, their investigation and maintenance of law and order  in  Railway  premises  as  well  as  on  running  trains  are  the statutory responsibility of the State Governments, which they discharge through Government Railway Police (GRP). During the years 2014  to  2017  (Upto  January),  in  one  case  of  explosion  in  train  at Chennai Central Railway station on 01.05.2014, involvement of terrorist/anti-national elements has been identified by the CBCID/Chennai  Central.  In  the  incident,  a  case  vide  Cr.  No.  Metro2/2014 under section 302, 326, 307 IPC, Section 3, 4 & 5 of Explosive Substance Act, 1908 read with section 151 of the Railways Act was registered by the CBCID/Chennai Central.

(e): The plans formulated and efforts made to check trains accidents include replacement of over-aged assets, adoption of suitable technologies for up-gradation and maintenance of track, rolling stock, signaling and interlocking systems, safety drives, greater emphasis on training of officials and inspections at regular intervals to monitor and educate  staff  for  observance  of  safe  practices.  The  safety  devices/ systems  being  used  to  prevent  accident  include  complete  track circuiting, provision of Block Proving Axle counters (BPAC), Auxiliary Warning  System  (AWS),  Colour  Light  LED  Signal,  Vigilance  Control

Device  (VCD),  usage  of  60kg  rails,  Pre-Stressed  Concrete  Sleepers, long rail  panels, better  welding  technology, progressive  use  of  Linke Hofmann  Busch  (LHB)  Coaches  and  Centre  Buffer  Couplers  with Integral Coach Factory (ICF) Coaches, etc. *****