Lok Sabha Question No. 209 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-11-16
Subject: Rail Accidents
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: SANTOKH SINGH CHAUDHARY, P. KARUNAKARAN, SURESH KODIKUNNIL, RAMACHANDRAN MULLAPPALLY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 209 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16.11.2016

## RAIL ACCIDENTS

209. SHRI SANTOKH SINGH CHAUDHARY:

SHRI P. KARUNAKARAN:

SHRI KODIKUNNIL SURESH:

SHRI MULLAPPALLY RAMACHANDRAN:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware of the frequent rail accidents in the State of Kerala;
- (b) if so, the details thereof during the last two years and the current year and the reasons therefor, accident-wise;
- (c) the  number  of  incidents  of  derailment  that  took  place  in  the country particularly in Kerala, zone-wise;
- (d) whether  any  inquiry  has  been  conducted  into  the  incidents  of these derailments and if so, the outcome thereof;
- (e) whether National Human Rights Commission has asked to submit a report on track safety, if so, the details thereof; and
- (f) the  measures  taken  by  the  Government  for  replacement  of  old tracks?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)

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

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (f)  OF UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO  209 BY SHRI  SANTOKH  SINGH CHAUDHARY, SHRI P. KARUNAKARAN, SHRI KODIKUNNIL SURESH AND  SHRI MULLAPPALLY RAMACHANDRAN TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 16.11.2016 REGARDING RAIL ACCIDENTS.

(a)  &  (b):    Yes,  Madam.    The  details  of  Consequential  train accidents  (excluding  Unmanned  Level  Crossing  Accidents)  that have occurred in the State of Kerala during last two years and in the current year up to 31 st  October, 2016, are as under:-

| Year                |   2014-15 |   2015-16 |   2016-17 (up to 31/10/2016) |
|---------------------|-----------|-----------|------------------------------|
| Number of Accidents |         0 |         0 |                           02 |

First  accident  was  derailment  that  took  place  on  28.08.2016  in which,    the  Train  No.  16347  Up.  Trivandrum-Mangalore  Express while on run through Karukkutty station, its 12 coaches derailed at the station.

The  Second  accident,  which  was  also  derailment,  took  place  on 19.09.2016  in  which  Up  Kottayam  Pilot  goods  left  Sasthamkotta station and while on run in block section, its 09 Wagons derailed out  of  which  05  wagons  capsized  between  Sasthamkotta  and Karunagappalli stations.

- (c): State of Kerala  has  Palakkad  and  Thiruvananthapuram divisions  of  Southern  Railway.  The  number  of  consequential  train derailments that took place in Southern Railway during the last two years  and  in  the  current  year  upto  31 st   October,  2016  is  given below:-

| Southern Railway      |   2014-15 |   2015-16 |   2016-17 (up to 31/10/2016) |
|-----------------------|-----------|-----------|------------------------------|
| Number of derailments |         0 |         5 |                            7 |

The  number  of  consequential  train  derailments  that  took  place during the last two years and in the current year upto 31 st  October, 2016  in  divisions  of  Thiruvananthapuram  and  Palakkad  is  given below:

| Accident Type   | Zone             |   2014-15 |   2015-16 | 2016-17 (up to 31/10/2016)        |
|-----------------|------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------------------------------|
| Derailment      | Southern Railway |         0 |         0 | 02 (Division- Thiruvananthapuram) |

- (d):    All  consequential  train  accidents  on  Indian  Railways  are inquired into either by Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) under the Ministry of Civil Aviation or Departmental Inquiry Committee of the Railway.

There were no Railway Board reported incidents of derailments in the State of Kerala during the last two years.  In the current year up to 31 st  October 2016, there have been two cases of derailments on  Thiruvananthapuram  (TVC)  division  of  Southern  Railway.    The derailments  in  this  year  have  been  investigated  by  Departmental Inquiry Committees. As per the findings of the inquiry committee, the  incident  of  derailment  at  Karukkutty  station  on  28 th   August 2016 was attributed to rail fracture due to an old flaw and the other incident  of  derailment  in  the  Quilon-Kayankulam  (QLN-KYJ)  block section  on  19 th   September  2016  was    attributed  to  failure  to maintain  the  track  as  per  laid  down  standards.    Disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against the staff held responsible. (e):    Yes,  Madam.  A  report  regarding  safety  of  railway  tracks  in Kerala  has  been  furnished  to  Hon'ble  National  Human  Rights Commission  (NHRC)  from  Railways  wherein  it  is  stated  that subsequent to  derailment  of  Mangalore  Express  on  28.08.2016,  a Special  Drive  on  Ultrasonic  testing  for  248  kms  of  track  having scabbed  and  wheel  burnt  locations  were  carried  out  in  Southern Railway  and  201  defects  at  scabbed/wheel  burnt  locations  were identified  and  removed  by  renewing  the  rails.  Further,  during current year so far, 27 km and 52.3 km rails have been supplied to Palakkad and Thiruvananthapuram Divisions respectively and renewal of rails for 25 km track has been done in last 2 months. A close  watch  is  being  kept  on  timely  execution  of  such  track renewal works. (f):    Track  renewal  is  a  continuous  activity,  which  is  to  be undertaken  as  and  when  a  stretch  of  track  becomes  due  for renewal  on  the  basis  of  criteria  laid  down  in  Indian  Railway Permanent  Way  Manual.  As  per  norms,  track  renewal  works  are completed  within  2-3 years of sanction. This,  however,  also depends on budget availability.

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