Lok Sabha Question No. 2852 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-11
Subject: Safety of Rail Travel
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Durga Prasad Rao Balli

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2852 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.03.2020

## SAFETY OF RAIL TRAVEL

## 2852. SHRI BALLI DURGA PRASAD RAO:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) as  the  annual  rate  of  increase  in  cost  has  overtaken  that  of revenues  of  Indian  Railways  during  the  last  few  years,  the corrective measures taken by the Government; and
- (b) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to allay public fears/concern about safety of Rail Travel and the general health of the railway network?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

(SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

- (a) and (b): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  AND  (b)  OF UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  2852  BY  SHRI  BALLI  DURGA  PRASAD RAO  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  11.03.2020  REGARDING SAFETY OF RAIL TRAVEL

(a): Revenue Expenditure and Revenue Receipts of Indian Railways for the last three years are as under:

|         |                    |                    |   ( in crore) |
|---------|--------------------|--------------------|---------------|
| 2016-17 | 165382.48 (-1.78%) | 160469.48 (7.59%)  |       4913    |
| 2017-18 | 178929.64 (8.19%)  | 177264.03 (10.47%) |       1665.61 |
| 2018-19 | 190507.37 (6.47%)  | 186733.51 (5.34%)  |       3773.86 |

Following  corrective  measures  have  been  taken  to  increase  the earnings both in passenger and freight segments:

- (i) With a view to ensure optimum utilization of available accommodation  and  enhance  passenger  earnings,  various  initiatives have been undertaken including running of special trains, augmentation of on-board capacity, introduction and rationalization of Flexi-fare  scheme in premium trains, graded discount in classes and sections  with  low  occupancy  and  offering  fare  of  AC  Chair  Car  and Second  class  unreserved  for  AC-3tier  coaches  and  Sleeper  class coaches  respectively  having  low  occupancy  on  particular  sections, periodic  review  of  reservation  quota  and  introduction  of  Alternate Train Accommodation Scheme known as VIKALP.
- (ii)  Recently,  the  passenger  fares  have  also  been  rationalized  w.e.f. 01.01.2020 wherein there is a marginal increase in fare only over the non-suburban sections of Indian Railways. The increase is to the tune of 01 paisa/PKM (Passenger Kilometer) 02 paisa per PKM and 04 paisa per  PKM  for  non-suburban  (Ordinary),  non-AC  classes  &  AC  classes respectively.  There  is  no  fare  hike  for  passengers  over  suburban sections and season ticket holders.

(iii) The freight was rationalized from 01.11.2018.

- (iv)  Increase  in  haulage  charge  of  Container  trains  @  5%  w.e.f. 01.12.2018.
- (v) Terminal charge @ 20/- per tonne has been levied on both inward and outward commodities (excluding container traffic) w.e.f. 27.12.2018.
- (vi) The freight rate of Merry go Round (MGR) has further been revised w.e.f.  01.05.2018  and  was  valid  upto  30.04.2019.  Beyond  30.04.2019 upto 30.04.2020, the freight rate will be increased by 5%. Thereafter, further 5% increase in freight rates upto 30.04.2021.
- (vii)  To  promote  ease  of  doing  business  and  to  minimize  the  cost, Indian Railway has implemented Electronic registration of demand for wagons  (e-RD) and Electronic Transmission of Railway Receipt (e-TRR).
- (b): 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.  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.
- (ii)  A  Fund  namely  'Rashtriya  Rail  Sanraksha  Kosh  (RRSK)'  has  been created in 2017-18 with a corpus of 1  lakh  crore  over  a  period  of five  years  for  critical  safety  related  works  with  an  annual  outlay  of 20,000 crore.  Expenditure of 16,091 crore and 18,023 crore has been incurred out of RRSK during 2017-18 and 2018-19 respectively  on  Track  Renewals,  Road  Over/Under  Bridge,  Signalling and  Telecom  Works  and  Rolling  stock.  An  outlay  of 20,000  crore has been allocated under RRSK in Budget Estimates in 2019-20 also.
- (iii)  Preventive  and  predictive  maintenance  of  the  Railway  assets  is undertaken  to  ensure  safe  train  operation.  Safety  devices/systems being used to prevent accidents include Electronic Interlocking, track circuiting, provision of Block Proving Axle Counters, Colour Light LED Signals,  Train  Protection  and  Warning  System,  Vigilance  Control Device, Fog Pass Device, usage of 52 kg/60 kg, 90  kg or higher UTS rails  and  pre-stressed  Concrete  Sleepers,  use  of  Ultrasonic  Flaw Detection  of  rails  and  welds  at  predefined  periodicity  to  detect
- internal flaws in rails/welds.

(iv)  Electronic  monitoring  of  track  geometry  is  carried  out  to  detect defects  and  plan  maintenance.  Steel  Channel  Sleepers  on  girder bridges are being used while carrying out primary track renewals.  Further,  it  has  been  decided  to  lay  Thick  webs  switches, Weldable Cast Maganese Steel crossings on identified routes. Progressive use of Linke Hofmann Busch Coaches (LHB), use of Centre Buffer  Couplers  with  Integral  Coach  Factory  Coaches,  etc.  Railway tracks are replaced on age-cum-condition basis through track renewal works which is an ongoing process.

(v)  Other  measures  include  training  of  loco  pilots  and  other  safety category  staff,  improvement  of  their  working  conditions  including proper rest and periodic medical examination etc. Besides, patrolling of  tracks,  footplate  inspections  and  safety  reviews at various levels, etc.  are  regularly  conducted  to  continuously  monitor  and  improve safety aspects of the Indian Railways.

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