Lok Sabha Question No. 3643 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-22
Subject: Collision of Trains
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Amar Singh, Kumbakudi Sudhakaran

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3643 TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.03.2023

## COLLISION OF TRAINS

3643.  DR. AMAR SINGH:

## SHRI KUMBAKUDI SUDHAKARAN:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether an investigation has been conducted to determine the cause of head-on collision between two trains in Uttar Pradesh on February 16, 2023, if so, the details of the said investigation;
- (b) whether any action has been taken to replace the malfunctioning Bogie-Mounted Brake  System (BMBS), if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) the  number  of  trains  currently  running  that  are  fitted  with  the German-made BMBS;
- (d) the number of accidents that occurred due to the malfunctioning braking system over the past year;
- (e) whether  it  is  true  that  the  BMBS  was  red-flagged  by  the Research Design and Standards Organization in July 2022; and
- (f)  if  so,  the  action  taken  in  this  regard  between  July  2022  to February 2023?

## 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. 3643 BY DR. AMAR SINGH AND SHRI KUMBAKUDI SUDHAKARAN:

TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  22.03.2023  REGARDING COLLISION OF TRAINS.

- (a)  Yes,  Sir.    The  inquiry  is  under  process.  The  cause  of  head-on collision between two trains in Uttar Pradesh on February 16, 2023 will be established on finalization of Final Inquiry Report.
- (b) The following action has been taken by Indian Railways between July, 2022 and Feb, 2023:
- i) Railway  Board  formed  a  committee  comprising  officers  from RDSO and Zonal Railways for investigation of issues related to Bogie Mounted Brake System (BMBS). The committee brought out deficiency related to brake force and inconsistent braking distances in Bogie Mounted Brake System (BMBS) of one of the firms.
- ii) The particular firm has been de-listed from the list of approved suppliers.
- iii) The  maximum  speed  of  loaded  trains  with  more  than  fifty percent  wagons  with  Bogie  Mounted  Brake  System  has  been restricted.
- iv) Instructions for running goods trains with mixed brake system composition  of  wagons,  i.e.  with  brake  systems  of  affected design  and  other  existing  design,  have  been  issued  to  Zonal Railways.
- v) The  particular  firm  has  proposed  design  corrections  in  their Brake System (BMBS) and instrumented field trials are planned to validate the same.
- vi) As an interim measure, replacement of BMBS of the particular firm with other design Brake System has been decided.

(c)  No  train  is  currently  running  fitted  with  German-made  Bogie Mounted Brake System. However, the Bogie Mounted  Brake System  (BMBS)  is being manufactured in India by a wholly owned subsidiary of the German company.  Approximately  88,000  wagons  are  running,  which  are fitted with this type of design of Bogie Mounted Brake System . (d)  During  the  past  year  i.e.  in  2021-22,  no  consequential  train accident  took  place  due  to  malfunctioning  of  braking  system,  on Indian Railways. However,  during  the  current  year  i.e.  2022-23,  one  consequential train accident took place due to malfunctioning of braking system, on Indian Railways. The  deficiency  related  to  brake  force  and  inconsistent braking  distance  in  BMBS  was  raised  by  RDSO  in  July  2022.    The action taken in this regard between July 2022 and February 2023 is

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(e)&(f) given above in reply of Para(b).