Lok Sabha Question No. 643 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-02-05
Subject: Derailment of Lokmanya Tilak Express
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Pinaki Misra

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 643 TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.02.2020

## DERAILMENT OF LOKYAMANYA TILAK EXPRESS

643.  SHRI PINAKI MISRA:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) in view of the unfortunate derailing of Lokmanya Tilak Express in Odisha,  the  steps  being  taken  to  avert  such  incidents  in  the future;
- (b) whether  any special technology is required to  combat  low visibility during winter months;
- (c) if so, whether the Railways possess such technology; and
- (d) if not, the measures being taken to ensure that low visibility does not lead to more of such incidents?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

(SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

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

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (d)  OF UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO  643  BY  SHRI  PINAKI  MISRA  TO  BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 05.02.2020 REGARDING DERAILMENT OF

LOKMANYA TILAK EXPRESS

(a):  Safety  is  accorded  the  highest  priority  by  Indian  Railways  and  all possible steps are undertaken  on  a continuous basis to prevent accidents and to enhance safety of passengers. Following steps/measures have been taken to prevent accidents:-

1. Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh (RRSK) has been introduced in 201718  for  replacement/renewal/upgradation  of  critical  safety  assets, with a corpus of ₹ 1 lakh crore for five years, having annual outlay of ₹ 20,000 crore.
2. Electrical/Electronic Interlocking Systems with centralized operation  of  points  and  signals  are  progressively  provided  to eliminate accident due to human  failure and to replace old mechanical systems. These systems have been provided at 6,010 stations up to 31.12.2019.
3. Axle  Counter  for  Automatic  clearance  of  Block  Section  to  ensure complete arrival of train without manual intervention before granting line clear to the next train and to reduce human element have been provided on 5,563 block sections up to 31.12.2019.
4. Train Protection and Warning System: Train Protection and Warning System  (TPWS)  based  on  European  Technology  ETCS  Level-1 Automatic Train Protection (ATP) System to avoid train accident/collision  on  account  of  human  error  of  Signal  Passing  at Danger  (SPAD)  or  over  speeding,  has  been  provided  at  selected sections.
5. Auxiliary Warning System (AWS): Auxiliary Warning System (AWS) is presently functional on 413 RKMs in the Mumbai suburban section
6. of  Central  Railway  (289  Route  KMs)  and  Western  Railway  (124
7. Route KMs).
6. Vigilance Control Device (VCD): All the diesel and electric locomotives  on  Indian  Railways  have  now  been  provided  with Vigilance Control Devices.
7. A Global Positioning System (GPS) based Fog Pass Device is being provided  as  required  to  loco  pilots  in  fog  affected  areas  which enables loco pilots to know the exact distance of the approaching signals, LC Gate and other critical landmarks.
8. Simulator based training of loco pilots:  Simulator based training is being  imparted  to  loco  pilots  to  improve  their  driving  skills  and reaction time.
9. Track Renewal:  During 2018-19, 4181 kms. track renewal had been carried  out.  For  the  current  year  i.e.  2019-20,  3045  kms.  track renewal has been carried out upto November, 2019.
10. In  order  to  improve  safety,  modern  track  structure  consisting  of Prestressed  Concrete  Sleeper  (PSC),  60kg,  90  or  higher  Ultimate Tensile  Strength  (UTS)  rails,  fanshaped  layout  turnout  on  PSC sleepers,  Steel  Channel  Sleepers  on  girder  bridges  is  used  while carrying out primary track renewals.
11. Provision of Thick Web Switches (TWS) is planned for all important routes of Indian Railways. To expedite provision of TWS, procurement  of  Thick  Web  Switches  has  been  decentralized  to Zonal Railways.
12. Long rail panels of 260 M/130M length are manufactured at the steel plant to minimize number of Alumino Thermit joints in the track.
13. Cold  weather  patrolling  of  the  railway  tracks  is  done  during  the coldest part of the night in cold months of the year to look out for weld/rail fractures for ensuring safety.
14. Ultrasonic  Flaw  Detection  (USFD)  testing  of  rails  to  detect  flaws and  timely  removal  of  defective  rails.  USFD  Vehicular  testing system  has  been  introduced  and  implemented  successfully  on Northern Railway.
15. Global  Positioning  System  (GPS)  trackers  are  being  progressively provided  to  keyman  &  patrolmen  to  monitor  their  movement  &  to report any unsafe condition noticed by them instantaneously.
16. Mechanization of Track Maintenance is being progressively carried out to reduce human errors.
17. Safety drives and inspections at regular intervals are carried out to monitor and educate staff for observance of safe practices.
18. Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) Type Coaches: LHB coaches are of a superior design that reduces  the chances  of  derailment and reduces  the  possibility  of  grievous  injury  or  death  in  case  of accidents.  Indian  Railways  has  completely  switched  over  to  the manufacture of LHB coaches from 2018-19 onwards.
19. Prevention  of  accidents  by  providing  Online  Monitoring  of  Rolling Stock(OMRS)  and  Wheel  Impact  Load  Detector(WILD).  Total  07 Online  Monitoring  of  Rolling  Stocks  (OMRS)  equipment  have  been installed on Indian Railway network between 2017-2019 and 02 are under  installation.    17  Wheel  Impact  Load  Detectors  (WILD)  have been installed on Indian Railways, between 2006-2018.
20. Elimination  of  Unmanned  Level  Crossing  Gates:    3,479  Unmanned Level Crossings (UMLCs) were eliminated during the year 2018-19. All  UMLCs  on  Broad  Gauge  have  already  been  eliminated  through closure/merger/provision of Subway for safety measures.
21. Interlocking of Level Crossing Gates with signals to avoid accidents has been done at 11,552 Level Crossing Gates up to 31.12.2019.
22. Provision  of  Fire  Extinguishers:  Dry  chemical  powder  type  fire extinguishers are being provided in all mainline coaches.  These are
25. portable fire extinguishers and are easy to use by on board staff or passengers in case of emergency.
23. Use of improved materials for electrical fittings and fixtures such as Miniature  Circuit  Breakers  (MCBs),  light  fittings,  terminal  boards and connectors.
24. Publicity Campaigns: Intensive publicity campaigns to prevent the travelling  public  from  carrying  inflammable  goods  are  regularly undertaken.
28. (b) to (d): Yes, Sir. The following measures are being taken to combat low visibility during winter months.
1. Retro-reflective sigma (∑) boards are being provided on the mast which is located two OHE masts prior to the signals in electrified territories to warn the crew about signal ahead.
2. A GPS bases Fog PASS Device is being provided to loco pilots in fog  affected  areas  which  enables  loco  pilots  to  know  the  exact distance of the approaching landmarks like signals, level crossing gates etc. It serves as an aid for the crew during foggy weather though audio visual alarm, whenever any landmark comes within the Geo-fence range. Location of stations, warning boards, signals, level crossing gates and Whistle for Level crossing (W/L) boards in the  section  is  fed  in  the  equipment.  It  displays  speed  of  the locomotive, distance and time to reach landmarks.
3. Provision  of  Automatic  Train  Protection  (ATP)  System  and  Cab Signalling.
4. A work of modernization of Signalling System on complete Indian Railway network has been included in the work programme 201819.  The  work  includes  provision  of  Automatic  Train  Protection System. As a prelude to modernization works of signalling system on entire network, 4 pilot projects of lengths totalling 640 Route

km  at  total  cost  of ₹ 1609  crores  on  Golden  Quadrilateral  and Diagonal  routes  have  been  sanctioned  for  trails  of  Modern  Train Control Systems on following sections:

|   S. No. | Section                | Railway               |
|----------|------------------------|-----------------------|
|        1 | Nagpur-Badnera         | Central Railway       |
|        2 | Renigunta-Yerraguntala | South Central Railway |
|        3 | Vizianagaram-Palasa    | East Coast Railway    |
|        4 | Bina-Jhansi            | North Central Railway |

5. Train Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) is an indigenous automatic  Train  Protection  (ATP)  System  developed  by  Indian Railways in association with 3 Indian manufacturers. The system has been installed on Lingamapalli - Vikarabad - Wadi & Vikarabad -  Bidar  section  (250  route  km)  on  South  Central  Railway.  The System is being further implemented on 1199 Route km on South Central Railway.

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