Lok Sabha Question No. 1571 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-02-10
Subject: Rail Accidents
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Bharatiben Dhirubhai Shyal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1571 TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.02.2021

## RAIL ACCIDENTS

## 1571.  SHRI BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the  number  of  major  and  minor  rail  accidents  reported  in  the country during each of the last three years and the current year;
- (b) the details thereof, Zone-wise and the reasons therefor along with the number of passengers killed/injured in such accidents during the said period;
- (c) the  mechanism  put  in  place  by  the  Government  to  ensure  that compensation is received within the stipulated time by the injured and the next of kin of the deceased after such accidents;
- (d) whether  the  Government  has  conducted  any  enquiry  in  such accidents;
- (e) if  so,  the  details  and  outcome  thereof  and  if  not,  the  reasons therefor; and
- (f) the  other  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to  keep  a check on such accidents across the country?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMERCE & INDUSTRY AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

(SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

- (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 1571 BY SHRI BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB TO BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  10.02.2021  REGARDING  RAIL ACCIDENTS

(a)  and  (b):  The  details  of  Zone-Wise  number  of  consequential  train accidents along with the number of  passengers killed/injured during the last  three  years  i.e.  2017-18  to  2019-20  and  the  current  year  202021(upto January, 2021) and causes of these consequential train accidents are as under:

| Zonal Railway      | 2017-18             | 2017-18           | 2017-18            | 2018-19             | 2018-19           | 2018-19            | 2019-20             | 2019-20           | 2019-20            | 2020-21* (upto January, 2021)   | 2020-21* (upto January, 2021)   | 2020-21* (upto January, 2021)   |
|--------------------|---------------------|-------------------|--------------------|---------------------|-------------------|--------------------|---------------------|-------------------|--------------------|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
| Zonal Railway      | Number of Accidents | Passengers Killed | Passengers Injured | Number of Accidents | Passengers Killed | Passengers Injured | Number of Accidents | Passengers Killed | Passengers Injured | Number of Accidents             | Passengers Killed               | Passengers Injured              |
| Central            | 8                   | 0                 | 0                  | 6                   | 0                 | 0                  | 7                   | 0                 | 0                  | 3                               | 0                               | 0                               |
| Eastern            | 2                   | 0                 | 0                  | 0                   | 0                 | 0                  | 5                   | 0                 | 0                  | 0                               | 0                               | 0                               |
| East Central       | 9                   | 0                 | 2                  | 8                   | 7                 | 32                 | 4                   | 0                 | 0                  | 1                               | 0                               | 0                               |
| East Coast         | 4                   | 0                 | 0                  | 2                   | 0                 | 0                  | 2                   | 0                 | 41                 | 1                               | 0                               | 0                               |
| Konkan             | 1                   | 0                 | 0                  | 0                   | 0                 | 0                  | 1                   | 0                 | 0                  | 1                               | 0                               | 0                               |
| North Central      | 5                   | 4                 | 58                 | 2                   | 0                 | 0                  | 7                   | 0                 | 12                 | 2                               | 0                               | 0                               |
| North Eastern      | 5                   | 0                 | 0                  | 5                   | 0                 | 6                  | 0                   | 0                 | 0                  | 0                               | 0                               | 0                               |
| Northeast Frontier | 2                   | 0                 | 0                  | 6                   | 2                 | 0                  | 2                   | 0                 | 0                  | 1                               | 0                               | 0                               |
| North Western      | 5                   | 0                 | 0                  | 4                   | 0                 | 0                  | 3                   | 0                 | 0                  | 0                               | 0                               | 0                               |
| Northern           | 16                  | 24                | 116                | 10                  | 7                 | 36                 | 9                   | 0                 | 0                  | 1                               | 0                               | 0                               |
| South Central      | 3                   | 0                 | 0                  | 2                   | 0                 | 0                  | 6                   | 0                 | 20                 | 1                               | 0                               | 0                               |

| South Eastern     |   3 |   0 |   0 |   3 |   0 |   0 |   1 |   0 |   0 |   1 |   0 |   0 |
|-------------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|
| Southeast Central |   1 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |
| South Western     |   1 |   0 |   0 |   1 |   0 |   0 |   2 |   0 |   0 |   1 |   0 |   0 |
| Southern          |   3 |   0 |   0 |   5 |   0 |   0 |   1 |   0 |   0 |   1 |   0 |   0 |
| West Central      |   0 |   0 |   0 |   1 |   0 |   3 |   2 |   0 |   0 |   1 |   0 |   0 |
| Western           |   5 |   0 |   6 |   3 |   0 |   0 |   3 |   0 |   0 |   2 |   0 |   0 |
| Kolkata Metro     |   0 |   0 |   0 |   1 |   0 |  13 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |
| Total             |  73 |  28 | 182 |  59 |  16 |  90 |  55 |   0 |  73 |  17 |   0 |   0 |

*Provisional data

Failure  of  equipment,  sabotage,  failure  of  railway  staff,  failure  of other  than  railway  staff  etc.  were  reasons  of  consequential  train accidents  that  took  place  during  the  last  three  years  i.e.  2017-18  to 2019-20 and the current year 2020-21(upto January, 2021).

(c): Compensation  for  death/injury of railway passengers  in train accidents as defined in Section 124 of the Railway Act, 1989, is decided by Railways Claims Tribunal (RCT) on the basis of a claim application filed before them. Railway Administration is liable to pay compensation only when a decree is awarded by Hon'ble RCT in favour of the claimant and Railways decide to implement the decree. The compensation is paid directly in the bank account of the applicant.

(d) and (e) :  Each and every train accident is inquired into either by the Commission of Railway Safety (CRS) under the Ministry of Civil Aviation or by the Departmental Inquiry Committee of Railway.

In the Inquiry Report, if individual Indian Railway officials are held responsible for accident, then disciplinary action is taken against such officials.    During  the  last  3  years  viz  2017-18,  2018-19,  2019-20  and current  year  2020-21  (upto  December,  2020),  major  penalties  were imposed on 255 and minor penalties were imposed on 310 such erring officials.

Further, the recommendations  of  Inquiry Reports for  system improvement are also implemented to prevent recurrence of similar train accidents.

(f):  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 have been provided at 6138 stations upto 31.01.2021 to eliminate accident due to human failure.
3. Block  Proving  Axle  Counter  (BPAC)  to  ensure  complete  arrival  of train without manual intervention before granting line clear to the next  train  have  been  provided  on  5,788  block  sections  up  to 31.01.2021.
4. Automatic Train Protection (ATP) System to prevent Signal Passing at Danger (SPAD) have been provided at 595 Route Km.
5. Track  Circuiting  of  stations  to  enhance  safety  for  verification  of track occupancy by electrical means instead of human element has been provided at 6180 stations as on 31.01.2021.
6. Interlocking  of  Level  Crossing  (LC)  Gates  has  been  provided  at 11745 level Crossing Gates up to 31.01.2021 for enhancing safety at LC gates.
7. All electric locomotives are equipped with Vigilance Control Devices (VCD) to ensure alertness of Loco Pilots.
8. Simulator based training is imparted for improving the driving skills and the reaction time of Loco Pilots.
9. Regular special drives are launched to check the alertness of Loco Pilots and other safety parameters.
10. Provision  of  Retro-reflective  sigma  boards  is  done  on  the  mast which is located two OHE masts prior to the signals in electrified territories  to  warn  the  crew  about  signal  ahead  when  visibility  is low due to foggy weather.
11. Provision  of  a  GPS  based  Fog  Pass  device  has  been  made  for locomotive pilots in fog affected areas which enables loco pilot to know the exact distance of the approaching landmarks like signals, level crossing gates etc.
12. In order to avoid technical snags, locomotives are regularly inspected during various maintenance schedules and obsolete/worn out/defective  equipments  are  replaced/repaired  as  per  stipulated instructions and guidelines.
13. Modern  track  structure  consisting  of  60kg,  90  Ultimate  Tensile Strength (UTS) rails, Prestressed Concrete Sleeper (PSC) Normal/Wide base sleepers with elastic fastening, fanshaped layout turnout on PSC sleepers, Steel Channel/H-beam Sleepers on girder bridges is used, while carrying out primary track renewals.
14. Patrolling of railway  tracks  is done  to  look  out  for weld/rail fractures.
15. Ultrasonic Flaw Detection (USFD) testing of rails is done to detect flaws and timely remove defective rails.
16. GPS  trackers  are  provided  to  keyman  and  patrolmen  to  monitor their movement and to report any unsafe condition noticed by them instantaneously.
17. Mechanization of track maintenance to reduce human errors.
18. Track management system has been introduced on Indian Railways for  development  of  database  and  decision  support  system  and  to rationalize maintenance requirement and optimize inputs.
19. Inspections  at  regular  intervals  are  carried  out  to  monitor  and educate staff for observance of safe practices.
20. Preventive maintenance of the railway assets (Coaches & Wagons) is undertaken to ensure safe train operations and to keep a check on Rail Accidents across the country.
21. Indian Railways has already adopted the Technological upgradation in  Safety  aspects  of  coaches  and  wagons  by  way  of  introducing Modified Centre Buffer Couplers, Bogie Mounted Air Brake System (BMBS),  improved  suspension  design  and  provision  of  Automatic Fire & smoke detection systems in coaches.
22. Replacement of conventional ICF design coaches with LHB design coaches.
23. Safety drives and inspections at regular intervals are carried out to monitor and educate staff for observance of safe practices.
24. Intensive publicity campaigns are launched to prevent the travelling public from carrying inflammable goods.

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