Lok Sabha Question No. 564 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-06
Subject: Safety Rules of Private Trains
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Manickam Tagore B

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 564 TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.12.2023

## SAFETY RULES OF PRIVATE TRAINS

564. SHRI MANICKAM TAGORE B. :

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is a fact that the Railways has tightened safety rules in  the  operation  of  private  trains  and  coaches  and  if  so,  the details thereof;
- (b) whether  it is a fact that the Railways  has issued fresh guidelines for catering services and security checks and if so, the details in this regard;
- (c) whether  the  decision  came  a  month  after  a  private  coach transporting pilgrims went up in flames in Madurai, leaving nine passengers dead and a few others injured; and
- (d) if so, the facts and details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

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

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (d)  OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO 564 BY SHRI MANICKAM TAGORE B. TO BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  06.12.2023  REGARDING  SAFETY RULES OF PRIVATE TRAINS

(a) to (d):   There  are  uniform  safety  rules  i.e.  General  and  Subsidiary Rules  for  the  operation  of  all  trains,  including  private  trains,  on  the Indian Railways network.

As  a  preventive  safety  measure,  the  following  policy  instructions were  issued  on  07.09.2023  with  respect  to  provision  of  catering services in Full Tariff Rates (FTR) trains:

-  Catering  facilities  in  all  coaches/trains  etc.  booked  on  Full  Tariff Rates (FTR) to be arranged by IRCTC, except for trains booked with Pantry Car.
-  In case of trains booked with Pantry Car under FTR, booking parties may either avail the catering facilities through IRCTC or provide the catering  facilities  using  pantry,  strictly  in  terms  of  the  existing instructions, prohibiting flame based cooking in pantry cars.

It  is  further  stated  that,  'Police'  and  'Public  Order'  are  State subjects under the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India and, therefore, State Governments are responsible for prevention, detection, registration and investigation of crime and maintenance of law and order on Railways through their law enforcement agencies viz. Government  Railway  Police  (GRP)/District  Police.  Railway  Protection

Force (RPF) supplements the efforts of GRP/District Police to provide better protection and security to railway property, passenger area and passengers and for matter connected therewith. As per Section 164 of the Railways Act, 1989 'Unlawfully bringing dangerous  goods  on  a  railway'  is  a  punishable  offence.  Extensive checks/Special Drives are conducted on trains and station premises to take action against offenders carrying inflammable substances, explosives etc. as per law. Intensive special drives/operations are also conducted  in  trains  during  festival  seasons,  rush  periods  to  prevent carriage  of  fire  crackers  and  offenders  are  taken  up  under  the  legal provisions.  Also,  massive  awareness  campaigns  are  conducted  by distributing leaflets, pasting of posters, making announcements through  Public  Address  System,  loud  hailers,  Nukkad  Nataks,  Media i.e.  print  media/electronic  media  and  social  media  etc.  to  make passengers aware about the consequences of carrying inflammable/explosive articles in trains and railway premises.

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