Lok Sabha Question No. 3401 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-22
Subject: Safety of Passengers
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: TAMRADHWAJ SAHU

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3401 TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.03.2017

## SAFETY OF PASSENGERS

## †3401. SHRI TAMRADHWAJ SAHU:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state?

- (a) the details of the measures taken to improve the safety in Railways along with the State-wise details of the number of cases of theft of luggage of passengers during the last three years;
- (b) whether there is any provision to give compensation to the passengers for loss due to theft of their luggage;
- (c) if  so,  the  number  of  cases  in  which  payment  of  compensation  was made to the passengers; and
- (d) the number of passenger railway trains in which CCTV cameras have been installed following the scheme to install CCTV cameras in all the passenger trains?

## 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.

***

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3401 BY SHRI TAMRADHWAJ SAHU TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 22.03.2017 REGARDING SAFETY OF PASSENGERS

(a):  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)/District Police. However, Railway Protection Force (RPF) supplements the efforts of GRP by providing better protection and security of passenger area and passengers and for matters connected therewith.

The following steps are also being taken by the Railways to improve safety and security in Railways:

1. On  vulnerable and  identified routes/sections, 2500  trains (on an average) are escorted by Railway Protection Force daily, in addition to 2200 trains escorted by Government Railway Police of different States daily.
2. Surveillance  is  kept  through  CCTV  cameras,  provided  at  about  344 stations over Indian Railways, to ensure  safety and  security of passengers.
3. Security  Help  Line  number  182  is  made  operational  over  Indian Railways for security related assistance to passengers in distress.
4. An  Integrated  Security  System  (ISS)  consisting  of  surveillance  of vulnerable stations through Close Circuit Television Camera Network, Access  Control  etc.  has  been  sanctioned  to  improve  surveillance mechanism over 202 railway stations.
5. Frequent announcements are made through Public Address System to educate  passengers  to  take  precautions  against  theft,  snatching, drugging etc.

6. Joint  drives  by  Commercial  Department  and  RPF  are  conducted  from time  to  time  against  the  entry  of  unauthorized  persons  in  trains  and railway premises.
7. Close liaison is made by RPF with the State Police/GRP authorities at all levels for prevention of crime, registration of cases, their investigation and maintenance of law & order in Railway premises as well as on running trains.

The number of cases of theft of luggage of passengers reported over Indian Railways during the years 2014, 2015 and 2016 is appended.

(b): Responsibility of Railway as carrier of luggage is laid down in Section100 of the Railways Act, 1989. As per the said Section, railway administration shall not be responsible for the loss, destruction, damage, deterioration  or  non-delivery  of  any  luggage  unless  a  railway  servant  has booked the luggage and given a receipt therefor and in the case of luggage which is carried by the passenger in his charge, unless, it is also proved that  the  loss,  destruction,  damage  or  deterioration  was  due  to  the negligence or misconduct on its part or on the part of any of its servants.

(c): The number of cases in which payment of compensation has been made for theft of goods/parcel/luggage are as under-

|   Year |   Number of cases in which payment of compensation has been made for theft of goods/parcel/luggage |
|--------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|   2014 |                                                                                                 29 |
|   2015 |                                                                                                 13 |
|   2016 |                                                                                                 15 |

(d): No decision has been taken by the Ministry of Railways to install Close Circuit  Television  (CCTV)  cameras  in  all  the  passenger  trains.  Rather,  in order  to  improve  the  safety  of  passengers,  the  Ministry  of  Railways  has installed CCTV cameras on a limited number of coaches of trains on a pilot basis. The progress with regard to the same is as under:-

-  CCTV cameras have been installed in the entire rake (all 21 coaches) of train No. 12497/12498 Shan-e-Punjab Express of Northern Railway.
-  CCTV cameras have been provided in ladies compartments of 45 EMU (Electric  Multiple  Unit)  coaches  each  by  Central  Railway  and  Western Railway in Mumbai area.
-  Rail Coach Factory/Kapurthala has provided CCTV  cameras in 3 Humsafar rakes, each having 22 coaches.
-  Modern Coach Factory/Rae Bareli has turned out 4 Humsafar rakes with CCTV cameras, each having 22 coaches.
-  Besides,  above,  Integral  Coach  Factory/Chennai  has  provided  CCTV cameras in 4 coaches on trial basis.

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APPENDIX  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY TO PART  (a)  OF  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3401 BY SHRI TAMRADHWAJ SAHU TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 22.03.2017 REGARDING SAFETY OF PASSENGERS

(a):  The number of cases of theft of luggage of passengers reported over Indian Railways during the years 2014, 2015 and 2016 is as under:-

| Zonal              |   Number of cases of theft of luggage of passengers |   Number of cases of theft of luggage of passengers |   Number of cases of theft of luggage of passengers |
|--------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|
| Railway            |                                                2014 |                                                2015 |                                                2016 |
| Central            |                                                3670 |                                                3972 |                                                4651 |
| Eastern            |                                                 712 |                                                 781 |                                                 774 |
| East Central       |                                                1079 |                                                 988 |                                                1194 |
| East Coast         |                                                 499 |                                                 538 |                                                 657 |
| Northern           |                                                2267 |                                                3654 |                                                4011 |
| North Central      |                                                 441 |                                                 815 |                                                 845 |
| North Eastern      |                                                 228 |                                                 464 |                                                 475 |
| Northeast Frontier |                                                 206 |                                                 176 |                                                 285 |
| North Western      |                                                 674 |                                                 684 |                                                 629 |
| Southern           |                                                 555 |                                                 676 |                                                 486 |
| South Central      |                                                1649 |                                                1914 |                                                2046 |
| South Eastern      |                                                 317 |                                                 330 |                                                 526 |
| South East Central |                                                 348 |                                                 542 |                                                 580 |
| South Western      |                                                 289 |                                                 237 |                                                 405 |
| Western            |                                                1797 |                                                2778 |                                                2910 |
| West Central       |                                                2421 |                                                2701 |                                                3362 |

*****