Lok Sabha Question No. 317 (STARRED), answered on 2016-12-07
Subject: Safety of Passengers in Railways
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: N.K. PREMACHANDRAN, RAYAPATI SAMBASIVA RAO

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 317 TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.12.2016

## SAFETY OF PASSENGERS IN RAILWAYS

*317.    SHRI N.K. PREMACHANDRAN: SHRI RAYAPATI SAMBASIVA RAO:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether train accidents have increased during the last two years and the current year and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the major reasons for surge in the recent train accidents;
- (c) the  steps  taken  to  avert  the  accidents  and  ensure  safety  of passengers;
- (d) whether adequate and timely compensation has been paid to all the  victims  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  if  not,  the  reasons therefor; and

(e) the  number  of  pending  cases,  zone-wise  and  action  taken  to expedite payment of compensation in such cases?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS (SHRI SURESH PRABHAKAR PRABHU)

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

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (e)  OF  THE STARRED  QUESTION  NO.  317  BY  SHRI  N.K.  PREMACHANDRAN  AND SHRI RAYAPATI SAMBASIVA RAO TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 07.12.2016 REGARDING SAFETY OF PASSENGERS IN RAILWAYS

(a):    During  the  last  two  years  i.e.  2014-15  &  2015-16,  number  of consequential train accidents are 135 and 107 respectively. During the current year i.e. 2016-17, 85 Consequential Train Accidents have taken place till November 2016.

(b): Major causes of the consequential train accidents which took place during  the  last  two  years  and  the  current  year  (upto  30 th   November, 2016), are given below:

| Cause                                                    |   2014-15 |   2015-16 |   2016-17 (Upto November, 2016) |
|----------------------------------------------------------|-----------|-----------|---------------------------------|
| Failure of Railway Staff                                 |        60 |        55 |                              56 |
| Failure of other than Railway staff + Road Vehicle Users |        58 |        38 |                              17 |
| Failure of equipment                                     |         4 |         2 |                               1 |
| Sabotage                                                 |         3 |         1 |                               2 |
| Combination of factors                                   |         0 |         1 |                               2 |
| Incidental                                               |         8 |         9 |                               7 |
| Could not be established/non- held                       |         2 |         1 |                               0 |
| Under Investigation                                      |         0 |         0 |                               0 |
| Total                                                    |       135 |       107 |                              85 |

(c):  Safety  is  accorded  the  highest  priority  by  Indian  Railways  and  all possible steps are undertaken on a continual basis to prevent accidents and to enhance safety.  These include replacement of over-aged assets, adoption  of  suitable  technologies  for  upgradation  and  maintenance  of track, rolling stock, signalling 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. Safety devices/systems being used to prevent accidents include complete  track  circuiting,  provision  of  Block  Proving  Axle  Counters (BPAC),  Auxiliary  Warning  System  (AWS),  Colour  Light  LED  Signals, Vigilance  Control  Device  (VCD),  usage  of  60kg  rails  and  Pre-stressed Concrete Sleepers, long rail panels, better welding technology, progressive use of Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) Coaches, Centre Buffer Couplers with Integral Coach Factory (ICF) Coaches, etc. (d):  Yes,  Madam.  The  amount  of  compensation  is  decided  by  the Railway  Claims  Tribunal  (RCT)  in  terms  of  Railway  Accidents  and Untoward Incidents (Compensation) Rules, 1997 by awarding a decree. The amount of compensation is paid by the Railways if the decree so awarded by the Tribunal is decided to be satisfied by the Railways. (e):  Total  number  of  pending  cases  of  compensation  claim  relating  to train accidents is 410 till 31.10.2016. Compensation is paid on the basis of decree awarded by RCT which is a quasi judicial body, independent from  Railways  and  payment  against  claim  cases  can  be  made  by Railways only after award of the decree by RCT. Decrees are awarded by  RCT  after  adjudication  of  the  claim  application  filed  with  them. Adjudication involves observance of legal procedures which cannot be interfered  with.    Zone-wise  statement  of  pending  claim  cases  is appended as Appendix-I. Measures taken for speedy settlement of claim cases are appended as Appendix-II.

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APPENDIX-I  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (e)  OF  STARRED QUESTION NO. 317 TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 07.12.2016 REGARDING SAFETY OF PASSENGERS IN RAILWAYS NUMBER  OF  CASES  INVOLVING  TRAIN  ACCIDENTS  ON  ALL

## (e) INDIAN RAILWAYS UNDER SECTION 124 AS ON 31/10/2016

| RAILWAY            | NUMBER OF CASES   | NUMBER OF CASES   | NUMBER OF CASES   | NUMBER OF CASES   |
|--------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
|                    | Death             | Injured           | Loss of Property  | Missing Passenger |
| Central            | 2                 | 3                 | 0                 | 0                 |
| East Central       | 12                | 15                | 0                 | 0                 |
| East Coast         | 0                 | 5                 | 0                 | 0                 |
| Eastern            | 14                | 36                | 0                 | 0                 |
| North Central      | 20                | 16                | 0                 | 0                 |
| North Eastern      | 21                | 26                | 0                 | 0                 |
| Northeast Frontier | 0                 | 3                 | 0                 | 0                 |
| Northern           | 54                | 50                | 0                 | 0                 |
| North Western      | 0                 | 0                 | 0                 | 0                 |
| Railway Board      | 0                 | 0                 | 0                 | 0                 |
| South Central      | 5                 | 2                 | 0                 | 0                 |
| South Eastern      | 39                | 22                | 0                 | 1                 |
| South East Central | 0                 | 0                 | 0                 | 0                 |
| Southern           | 0                 | 9                 | 0                 | 0                 |
| South Western      | 30                | 18                | 0                 | 0                 |
| West Central       | 2                 | 0                 | 0                 | 0                 |
| Western            | 3                 | 3                 | 0                 | 0                 |
| Total              | 202               | 208               | 0                 | 1                 |

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APPENDIX-II  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (e)  OF  STARRED QUESTION NO. 317 TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 07.12.2016 REGARDING SAFETY OF PASSENGERS IN RAILWAYS

## (e)  STEPS FOR SPEEDY SETTLEMENT OF COMPENSATION CLAIMS

1.  Instructions have been issued to all Zonal Railways that as soon as a  passenger  train  accident  or  untoward  incident  takes  place,  all particulars of injured and killed may be obtained, claim application forms  sent  to  claimants,  and  the  record  should  also  be  made available to the concerned bench of the Railway Claims Tribunal.
2.  When claims are filed and put up for hearing, the Railways should give all possible assistance to the Tribunal for speedy settlement.
3.  Written  statements  are  to  be  filed  by  the  Railways  in  such  cases within 15 days of receipt of notice from RCT.
4.  After the decreetal  amount  of a claim has been  sanctioned, Railways  have  to  ensure  that  cheques  are  issued  and  dispatched within a period of 15 days.
5.  Prior finance concurrence in respect of the accident compensation claims case have been dispensed with.
6.  The  Chief  Claims  Officers  have  been  empowered  to  satisfy  the decree  awarded  in  case  of  accident  compensation  claims  upto ` 4 lakhs.
7.  Applicant can file claim at the Railway Claim Tribunal Bench having jurisdiction over the place of residence of the applicant or the place where the passenger purchases his ticket or where the accident or untoward incident occurs or where the place of destination station lies, as against only at the place of occurrence of accident earlier.
8.  Maximum of three adjournments for each case permitted for claim applications filed before Railway Claims Tribunal.
9.  Railway Claims Tribunal to pass final orders within 21 days of final hearing of the case filed before it.
10.  One copy of order of Railway Claims Tribunal for accident compensation  claims  to  be  supplied  free  of  cost  to  the  applicant within 3 days of the passing of final orders.
11.  Affidavit filed before Railway Claims Tribunal can be affirmed before the Registrar or Asst. Registrar or Addl. Registrar of the Tribunal or an advocate in addition to Judicial Officer/notary.
12.  Relevant  Rules  &  Procedures  in  connection  with  compensation claims in respect of 'Accident' have been incorporated in the Indian Railways  Website  i.e.  www.indianrailway.gov.in.  It  also  contains format  of  different  application  forms  which  are  needed  for  filing compensation claims.

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