Lok Sabha Question No. 918 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-12-20
Subject: Elphinstone Stampede
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: NARANBHAI KACHHADIA, PRATAPRAO GANPATRAO JADHAV, KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH, HARIOM SINGH RATHORE, MUTHAMSETTI SRINIVASA RAO (AVNTHI), T. RADHAKRISHNAN, SUDHEER GUPTA, BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO, GAJANAN CHANDRAKANT KIRTIKAR, ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN, VIJAY KUMAR S.R., GEETHA KOTHAPALLI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 918 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.12.2017

## ELPHINSTONE STAMPEDE

## 918.  SHRI NARANBHAI KACHHADIYA:

SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV:

KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH:

SHRI HARIOM SINGH RATHORE:

SHRI MUTHAMSETTI SRINIVASA RAO (AVANTHI):

SHRI T. RADHAKRISHNAN:

SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR:

SHRI ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN:

SHRI S.R. VIJAYAKUMAR:

SHRIMATI KOTHAPALLI GEETHA:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the facts that have come to light regarding the recent stampede on the narrow foot over bridge joining Elphinstone road and Parel suburban stations;
- (b) whether  punitive  action  has  been  taken  against  the  persons responsible for the stampede;
- (c) if so, whether any survey has been/ is being conducted to identify such narrow and accident-prone foot over bridges in the country;
- (d) if so, the number of such foot over bridges identified in Maharashtra particularly in Vidarbha and Marathwada regions; and
- (e) the concrete measures being undertaken to carry-out the required maintenance works thereon?

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## ANSWER ( 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.  918  BY  SHRI  NARANBHAI  KACHHADIYA, SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV, KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH, SHRI HARIOM SINGH RATHORE, SHRI MUTHAMSETTI SRINIVASA RAO (AVANTHI), SHRI T.  RADHAKRISHNAN,  SHRI  SUDHEER  GUPTA,  SHRI  BIDYUT  BARAN MAHATO, SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR, SHRI ASHOK  SHANKARRAO CHAVAN, SHRI S.R. VIJAYAKUMAR AND SHRIMATI KOTHAPALLI GEETHA TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 20.12.2017 REGARDING ELPHINSTONE STAMPEDE (a):    The  unfortunate  incident  of  stampede  happened  on  29.09.2017  at Foot  Over  Bridge/  Elphinstone  Road  Railway  Station.    A  Joint  Interdepartmental  Enquiry  headed  by  Chief  Safety  Officer/Western  Railway was  ordered  into  the  incident  of  stampede.  As  per  the  findings  of  the enquiry, the tragedy was possibly triggered due to sudden downpour of heavy rains and accumulation of commuters on the Foot Over Bridge and staircase.  The  situation  got  further  aggravated  when  one  bundle  of flower  of  a  vendor  dropped  followed  by  someone  shouting  that  'Majha phool  padla'  and  some  commuter  mistook  the  word  'phool'  for  'pull'. This may have possibly triggered panic and led to stampede. (b): As per the departmental enquiry headed by Chief Safety Officer/Western Railway, no Railway official(s) have been found responsible for the incident. (c) to (e): Instructions already exist that all new Foot Over Bridges at 'A1'  category,  'A'  category  and  'C'  category  (suburban)  railway  stations shall be 6 meter wide, wherever feasible. Foot Over Bridges have been included in the safety items by Railways and a large number of Foot Over Bridges have been processed for inclusion in Works Programme 2018-19.

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