Lok Sabha Question No. 1189 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-14
Subject: Smooth Functioning of Special Trains during Festive Season
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Sunil Dattatray Tatkare, Supriya Sadanand Sule, Amol Ramsing Kolhe, Subhash Ramrao Bhamre, Kuldeep Rai Sharma, DNV Senthilkumar. S.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1189 TO BE ANSWERED ON 14.12.2022

## SMOOTH FUNCTIONING OF SPECIAL TRAINS DURING FESTIVE SEASON

1189.  SHRI SUNIL DATTATRAY TATKARE:

SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE:

DR. AMOL RAMSING KOLHE:

DR. SUBHASH RAMRAO BHAMRE:

SHRI KULDEEP RAI SHARMA:

DR. DNV SENTHILKUMAR S.:

## Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of special trains run by Indian Railways to ensure smooth and comfortable travel of passengers during festive season;
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  taken  crowd  controlling  measures  for orderly entry of passengers in unreserved coaches during festive season and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the  number  of  accidents,  casualties  and  persons  injured  during  the festival season at stations and trains this year;
- (d) whether in the absence of proper assessment of crowd, the passengers have to face lots of problems every year due to heavy rush during festive season and if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  constitute  a  special  cell  to  solve the  problems  arising  every  year  in  order  to  take  proper  decision  and ensure the responsibility; and
- (f) the other steps taken/being taken by the Railways to introduce sufficient number of trains in proportion to the extra rush of passengers during such seasons?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

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

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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a)  TO  (f)  OF  UNSTARRED QUESTION  NO.  1189  BY  SHRI  SUNIL  DATTATRAY  TATKARE,  SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE, DR. AMOL RAMSING KOLHE, DR. SUBHASH RAMRAO BHAMRE, SHRI  KULDEEP  RAI  SHARMA  AND  DR.  DNV  SENTHILKUMAR  S  TO  BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 14.12.2022 REGARDING SMOOTH FUNCTIONING OF SPECIAL TRAINS DURING FESTIVE SEASON

(a) and (b) Indian Railways, subject to operational feasibility, traffic justification  etc,  operates  Special  trains  to  cater  extra  rush  of  passengers during festive season, vacations, for destinations of tourist/pilgrim importance to facilitate passengers.  Operation of Special train is an ongoing process of Indian Railways.  Accordingly, during 2022-2023(upto November, 2022), 16766 Special train trips have been operated by Indian Railways.  Indian Railways, to provide  additional  accommodation,  also  augments  the  loads  of  trains  on temporary basis. The following steps are taken by Railway Protection Force (RPF)  in  coordination  with  other  stakeholders  to  ensure  safe  and  secure journey of passengers during festive seasons:-

- i. Elaborate crowd  control arrangements  are made  at  all major and important railway stations, where the huge crowds are predicted to reach for  travelling  to  various  destinations  for  celebrating  festivals.  Senior officers  are  stationed  at  these  stations  to  monitor  all  the  activities  to regulate the crowd in a systematic manner.
- ii. Videography and photography of important trains especially in  GS coaches, as a preventive security measure.
- iii. Skilled RPF staff is deployed in CCTV Control Room to keep a close watch on the crowded areas and render real time assistance to passengers.
- iv. Government Railway Police (GRP) & Railway Protection Force (RPF) staff are deployed at foot-over bridges to regulate crowd smoothly in order to avoid stampede like situation during the heavy rush period.
- v. Coordination with GRP/State Police is maintained with request to augment deployment  of  staff  at  important  and  sensitive  railway  stations,  for adopting extra precautionary measures to control crowd and for keeping sharp vigil on suspicious activities/persons/items.
- vi. Proper  frisking  of  passengers  entering  the  station  is  ensured.  Security personnel are trained in Soft Skills to interact with passengers specially with lady passengers and children.
- vii. Special  Task  force  are  formed  for  taking  action  against  anti  social elements in trains and railway premises.
- viii. Proper announcement regarding trains/ coaches is ensured well in time so that passengers are made aware of the location of General Coaches and the platform from where the trains will depart.
- ix. Mixed  escort  are  deployed  in  important  trains  for  rendering  real  time assistance  especially  to  lady  passengers  travelling  in  long  distance trains.
- x. Queue  system  for  entering  into  general  coaches  are  adopted  at  the originating stations.
11. (c)  No  consequential  train  accident  involving  passenger  train,  leading  to casualties and injuries at stations and trains has occurred during the current year  2022-23  (i.e  from  01.04.2022  to  30.11.2022)  during  festival  season. Besides,  no  casualties  has  been  been  reported  in  the  year  2022  (upto November) during the festival seasons due to overcrowding in trains and at stations.

(d) to (f) On Indian Railways, the pattern of booking of reserved tickets is not uniform throughout the year and it varies during peak and lean periods.  During peak rush periods, the reserved accommodation especially in upper class and on  popular  routes  gets  exhausted  within  short  duration  after  opening  or reservation  whereas  in  lower  classes  and  on  less popular  routes, the confirmed accommodation remains available for comparatively longer duration.  Waiting list of trains is monitored on regular basis and to cater to additional rush during peak periods special trains are run and load of existing trains  are  augmented  subject  to  operational  feasibility,  resource  availability etc.

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