Lok Sabha Question No. 5108 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-24
Subject: Safety of Railway Tracks
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shrirang Appa Barne, Shrikant Eknath Shinde, Vinayak Bhaurao Raut, Chandra Sekhar Sahu

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5108 TO BE ANSWERED ON 24.07.2019

## SAFETY OF RAILWAY TRACKS

5108.   SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE: DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE: SHRI VINAYAK RAUT: SHRI CHANDRA SEKHAR SAHU:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Indian  Railways  are  aware  of  the  poor  conditions  of railway  tracks,  especially  during  the  monsoon  season  and  if  so,  the details thereof;
- (b) whether a number of accidents were caused due to breaking of rail tracks  during  the  last  three  years  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof,  yearwise;
- (c) whether any inquiry have been conducted by the Government in this regard  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  outcome  and corrective implementation thereof;
- (d) whether the safety commissioner of Railways has warned about the traffic on Konkan Railway route and if so, the details of action taken by the Railways thereon; and
- (e) the steps taken by the Railways for the safety of Railway tracks and passengers?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

(SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

- (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. 5108 BY SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE, DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE, SHRI VINAYAK RAUT AND SHRI CHANDRA SEKHAR  SAHU  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  24.07.2019 REGARDING SAFETY OF RAILWAY TRACKS

- (a)  Condition  of  tracks  is  being  regularly  monitored  especially  during monsoon  through  well  laid  down  system  of  inspections.  Action as warranted  for  maintenance/renewal  of  tracks  is  taken,  to  ensure  that track is in safe condition at all times. Railways have issued instructions in regard to necessary precautions as prescribed as 'Pre-monsoon Precautionary Measures' in Indian Railway Permanent Way Manual which, inter-alia, include patrolling of tracks, posting of stationary watchmen at vulnerable bridge locations, availability of reserve materials for restoration/relief girders and other necessary equipment alongwith inspection  of  Railway  affecting  works/weather  warning  with  follow  up action etc.
- (b) Total 23 consequential train accidents had taken place on account of 'rail  fracture'  over  Indian  Railways  during  last  three  years.  Year-wise break-up is as under:
- (c)  Each  and  every  consequential  train  accident  on  Indian  Railway  is inquired  into  either  by  Commissioner  of  Railway  Safety  (CRS)  under  the Ministry  of  Civil  Aviation  or  by  the  Department  Inquiry  Committee  of Railways to determine the reasons of train accidents. Various corrective and improvement measures are taken as per the findings/recommendations of the inquiry reports.

| Year                       |   Number of consequential train accidents | Number of accidents on account of rail fracture   |
|----------------------------|-------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
| 2016-17                    |                                       104 | 14                                                |
| 2017-18                    |                                        73 | 04                                                |
| 2018-19                    |                                        59 | 05                                                |
| 2019-20 (up to 30.06.2019) |                                        18 | NIL                                               |

Corrective actions viz laying of modern track structure consisting of Prestressed  Concrete  (PSC)  Sleepers,  60kg,  90  or  higher  Ultimate  Tensile Strength  (UTS)  rails  in  form  of  long  panels  of  260  m  length,  Ultrasonic Flaw Detection (USFD) testing of rails/welds for timely removal of defects, electronic monitoring of track geometry with Track Recording Cars (TRC), execution  of  flash  butt  welds  to  reduce  the  number  of  Alumino-Thermit welds joints on track etc are carried out for ensuring safety of track.

- (d) Commissioner  of Railway Safety (CRS), Central Circle,  Mumbai conducts  Annual  Inspection  on  entire  Konkan  Railway  route  every  year before monsoon. CRS observations are being complied from time to time. CRS has not made any serious observations about the traffic on Konkan Railway route in the recent past.
- (e)  Safety  is  accorded  the  highest  priority  by  Indian  Railways  and  all possible steps are undertaken on a continual basis to prevent accidents and  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.

*****