Lok Sabha Question No. 3233 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-22
Subject: Incidents of Derailment
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: K. KAMARAAJ, RAMCHARAN BOHARA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3233 TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.03.2017

## INCIDENTS OF DERAILMENT

3233.   DR. K. KAMARAJ: SHRI  RAM CHARAN BOHRA:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the  number  of  incidents  of  derailment/accidents  of  freight trains  during  the  last  three  years  along  with  the  loss  to  the Government as a result thereof;
- (b) whether the reasons for the derailments/accidents have been investigated and if so, the outcome thereof;
- (c) whether the said derailments/accidents have been caused by over-loading of wagons and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether  examination  of  rail  tracks  is  done  to  judge  their condition/usability and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to prevent the recurrence of such incidents and improve the track management mechanism?

## 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 *****

STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (e)  OF UNSTARRED QUESTION  NO  3233  BY  DR.  K.  KAMARAJ  AND  SHRI RAM  CHARAN  BOHRA  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON 22.03.2017 REGARDING INCIDENTS OF DERAILMENT

(a) &  (b): Number  of  consequential  train  accidents  (including derailments)  of  freight  trains  during  the  last  three  years  i.e.  from 2013-14  to  2015-16  and  in  the  current  year  i.e.  2016-17  (from  1 st April, 2016 to 28 th  February, 2017) are given as under:-

| Year    |   Number of consequential freight train accidents | Loss to Railway Property   |
|---------|---------------------------------------------------|----------------------------|
| 2013-14 |                                                29 | ` 18.35 crore              |
| 2014-15 |                                                34 | ` 18.93 crore              |
| 2015-16 |                                                27 | ` 22.71 crore              |
| 2016-17 |                                                29 | ` 41.28 crore              |

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.  Based on the findings as contained in accident inquiry reports  (including  prima-facie  causes),  causes  of  consequential train accidents of freight trains during the last three years i.e. from

2013-14  to  2015-16  and  in  the  current  year  i.e.  2016-17  (from  1 st April, 2016 to 28 th  February, 2017) are given as under:

| Broad Causes                        | 2013-14   | 2014-15   | 2015-16   | 2016-17   |   Total |
|-------------------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|---------|
| Failure of railway staff            | 18        | 20        | 21        | 18        |      77 |
| Failure of other than railway staff | 8         | 9         | 6         | 5         |      28 |
| Failure of Equipment                | -         | -         | -         | 1         |       1 |
| Sabotage                            | 3         | 2         | -         | 2         |       7 |
| Combination of Factor               | -         | -         | -         | 1         |       1 |
| Incidental                          | -         | 1         | -         | 2         |       3 |
| Could not be established/Non held   | -         | 2         | -         | -         |       2 |
| Under Investigation                 | -         | -         | -         | -         |       0 |
| Grand Total                         | 29        | 34        | 27        | 29        |     119 |

(c): No consequential train accident took place on account of overloading of wagons during the last three years i.e. 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16.  In the current year i.e. 2016-17 (from 1 st  April, 2016 to 28 th   February,  2017),  one  consequential  train  derailment  of  Goods train  No.  BOSM-MTSS  occurred  over  Delhi  division  of  Northern Railway on 10.10.2016. Based on Inquiry Report/findings, the accident was caused due to 'breakage of rail on account of excess weight found in the wagons because of the loaded coal getting wet enroute'.

(d): Yes,  Madam.  Indian  Railways  have  a  system  of  scheduled inspections  by  Railway  officials  which,  inter  alia,  includes  daily inspection by Keyman, inspection/monitoring at predefined interval by various levels of inspecting officials and measurement/monitoring  of  track  parameters  by  Track  Recording Cars (TRCs) and Oscillation Monitoring Systems (OMS) for ensuring long life of railway tracks.

(e):   Replacement of Railway tracks is sanctioned annually as and when a stretch of track becomes due for track renewal on age-cumcondition basis i.e. on the basis of traffic carried over the track and physical condition of track.

Improved track structure consisting of Pre-stressed Concrete Sleepers,  60/90kg  or  higher  Ultimate  Tensile  Strength  (UTS)  rails, fanshaped layout turnout on Pre-stressed Concrete Sleepers (PSC), Steel  Channel  Sleepers  on  girder  bridges  is  being  used  while carrying out primary track renewals.  Further, it has been decided to lay Thick web switches, Weldable Cast Manganese Steel crossings on identified routes.

The Track Management System implemented on Indian Railways  is  utilised  for  monitoring  track  inspection,  maintenance, track  machine  working  and  judging  track  degradation  based  on inputs  from  track  recording  cars  and  other  inspections  under prevailing operating conditions.

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