Lok Sabha Question No. 2049 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-07
Subject: Rail Accidents
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: UDAY PRATAP SINGH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2049 TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.03.2018

## RAIL ACCIDENTS

## +2049. SHRI UDAY PRATAP SINGH:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether after taking cognizance of recent accidents, the Government  has  taken  steps  for  passenger  safety  and  to  prevent recurrence of such accidents;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has contemplated/proposed to upgrade the various safety standards of the railway;
- (d) if so, the details thereof and the expected time limit to complete the process; and
- (e) if not, the reasons therefor?

## 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. 2049 BY SHRI UDAY PRATAP SINGH TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 07.03.2018 REGARDING RAIL ACCIDENTS.

(a)&(b): Safety is accorded the highest priority by Indian Railways and all  possible  steps  are  undertaken  on  a  continual  basis    based  on  the experience  gained  from  various  accidents  in  the  past  to  enhance safety.  These include timely 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  safety  inspections  at  regular intervals to monitor and educate staff for observance of safe practices.

(c)  to  (e):    All  technologies,  maintenance  procedure  &  processes  in connection  with  safe  running  of  train    are    introduced  after  thorough examination  from  safety  point  of  view.    The  safety  standards  are specific to the technologies and the procedures; these are constantly being  upgraded/modified  with  the  change  in  technologies  and  new maintenance procedures. Indian Railways have adopted or are continuously introducing new technologies such as electronic interlocking at all interlocked Broad Gauge stations on Indian Railways, Automatic  Train  Protection  (ATP)  system  based  on  European  Train Control System Level 2 (ETCS-L2) in the entire BG route and covering all  the  Electric  locos,  EMU/MEMUs  and  Diesel  locos  over  BG  route, Mobile  Train  Radio  Communication  (MTRC)  including  Broad  Band Corridor  with  LTE  covering  the  entire  BG  route,  Centralized  Traffic Control (CTC) on entire route, Train Management System covering all 4 Metros,          Automatic      Block   Signalling    covering     the   Golden

Quadrilateral & Diagonals routes and train detection system in balance routes, Remote Diagnostics and Predictive Maintenance, Track Circuiting at station, Axle Counter for Block working (BPAC), Use of 60 kg  rails  and  Pre  Stressed  Concrete  Sleepers  (PSC),  Long  Welded  Rail Panels (LWR), Thick Web Switches in turnouts, Digital Ultrasonic Flaw Detection Machines for rail defects.  A policy decision has been taken to  manufacture  only  Linke  Hoffman  Busche  (LHB)  type  coaches  from 2018-19  onwards.    All  electric  locomotives  have  been  provided  with Vigilance Control Devices (VCD) which helps in checking the alertness of Loco Pilots (LPs).  Training to the Loco Pilots is being imparted on Simulators for improving reaction time and driving skills.

As  a  result  of  implementing  the  above  mentioned  continual upgradation and adoption of technologies, the number of consequential accidents has steadily fallen over Indian Railways.

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