Lok Sabha Question No. 3824 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-08-09
Subject: Special Task Force
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: SHOBHA KARANDLAJE, PRATHAP SIMHA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3824 TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.08.2017

## SPECIAL TASK FORCE

3824.  KUMARI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE: SHRI PRATHAP SIMHA:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS  be  pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the    Railways  is  constituting  a  dedicated  Special  Task Force to handle rail disasters, on the lines of specialised agencies like the National Investigating Agency, etc.;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the  time by which the task force is likely to be constituted;
- (c) whether a Committee would be formed to coordinate with multiple agencies  involved  in  providing  safety  to  railways    and  if  so,  the composition and Terms of  Reference of the Committee;
- (d) whether  the  Railways  plans  to  establish  an  institute  to  impart training in railway safety and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the other initiatives taken to help in revamping safety mechanism of Railways?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

(SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)

- (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 UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  3824  BY  KUMARI  SHOBHA  KARANDLAJE AND  SHRI  PRATHAP  SIMHA  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON

09.08.2017 REGARDING SPECIAL TASK FORCE (a): No, Madam. There is no proposal for constituting a dedicated Special Task Force to handle rail disasters.

(b) & (c): Do not arise.

(d):  There  are  7  Central  Training  Centres  and  300  recognized  Training Centres on Indian Railways, (62 'Main Training Centres' and 238 under 'Other  Training  Centres').  Out  of  these,  9  Zonal  Railway  Training Institutes and 12 specialized for Signal and Telecommunication Training Centres are functioning on different Railways to meet the safety training needs  of Signal  &  Telecommunication  and  Operating  staff.  About 3,00,000  employees  are  trained  annually  on  Indian  Railways  which roughly works out to 24% of total staff strength. Indian Railways spend around ` 290  crore    annually  on  training.  All  safety  category  railway employees are given structured training as per prescribed periodicity at various stages of their career. They undergo mandatory Initial, Promotional,  Refresher  and  Specialized  training  programmes.    Detailed modules  with  periodicity and course content taking into  account technological changes and operational requirement are available in all the courses.  Due emphasis is laid on practical training which helps in assimilating technology transferred and skill upgradation. Safety category staff are also given training in Disaster Management with the emphasis  on  Relief,  Rescue  and  Rehabilitation  (three  'R's),  Threat Perception & Emergency Response, Course on Fire Fighting & use of fire extinguishers  and  first  aid.  Therefore,  at  present  there  is  no  fresh proposal for opening new training institute/centre.

(e):  Safety  is  accorded  the  highest  priority  by  Indian  Railways    and  all possible steps are undertaken on a continual basis including up-gradation of technology to aid safe running of trains. These include replacement of over-aged assets, elimination of unmanned level crossings, 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  used  to  prevent  accidents  include complete  track  circuiting,  provision  of  Block  Proving  Axle  Counters (BPAC),  Train  Protection  Warning  Systems  (TPWS),  Colour  Light  LED Signals,  Vigilance  Control  Device  (VCD),  usage  of  60  kg  rails  and Pre-stressed Concrete Sleepers, long rail panels, better welding technology,  digital  types  of  machines  for  ultrasonic  flaw  detection

(USFD), electronic monitoring of tracks using track recording cars (TRC) and  portable  oscillation  monitoring  system  (OMS),  progressive  use  of Linke  Hofmann  Busch  (LHB)  Coaches,  Centre  Buffer  Coupler  with Integral  Coach  Factory  (ICF)  Coaches,  etc.  Other  measures  include training  of  loco  pilots  and  other  safety  category  staff,  improvement  of their  working  conditions  including  proper  rest  and  periodic  medical examinations etc. Besides, periodic safety drives, inspections as per laid down  schedules,  patrolling  of  tracks,  footplate  inspections  and  safety reviews  at  various levels  are  regularly  conducted  to  continuously monitor and improve safety aspects of the Railways.

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