Lok Sabha Question No. 429 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-11-27
Subject: Insurance to Victims of Rail Accidents
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri Gaddigoudar Parvatagouda Chandanagouda, Shri Balwant Baswant Wankhade, Shri S Venkatesan, Shri Subbarayan K, Com. Selvaraj V

(a)

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 429 TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.11.2024

## INSURANCE TO VICTIMS OF RAIL ACCIDENTS

## 429.  SHRI S VENKATESAN:

SHRI SUBBARAYAN K:

SHRI GADDIGOUDAR PARVATAGOUDA CHANDANAGOUDA:

COM. SELVARAJ V:

SHRI BALWANT BASWANT WANKHADE:

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

- (a) the number of major Rail accidents that took place during the last five years, i.e. during the period from  01.11.2019  to 31.10.2024 along with the details of loss of lives and injured in the above accidents;
- (b)
- total financial loss incurred by the Government on this count;
- (c) the  number  of  victims  who  had  availed  insurance  through  etickets;
- (d)
- the number of nominees of the insured secured death claims;
- (e)
- (f)
- reasons for non-settlement of death claims, if any;
- the details of investigation made into these accidents; and
- (g) action taken/being taken by the Government thereon?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

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

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (g)  OF UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  429  BY  SHRI  S  VENKATESAN,  SHRI SUBBARAYAN K, SHRI GADDIGOUDAR PARVATAGOUDA CHANDANAGOUDA,  COM.  SELVARAJ  V,SHRI  BALWANT  BASWANT WANKHADE  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  27.11.2024 REGARDING INSURANCE TO VICTIMS OF RAIL ACCIDENTS

(a) to (g): As a consequence of various safety measures taken over the years,  there  has  been  a  steep  decline  in  the  number  of  accidents. Consequential Train Accidents have reduced from 135 in 2014-15 to 40 in 2023-24 as shown in the graph below.  The causes of these  accidents broadly  include  track  defects,  Loco/Coach  defects,  equipment  failures, human  errors  etc.    An  accident  might  cause  damage  to  the  Railway property  that  includes  track,  rolling  stock,  OHE  equipment,  signaling gears etc.

It  may be noted that the consequential train accidents during the period 2004-14 was 1711 (average 171 per annum), which has declined to 678 during the period 2014-24 (average 68 per annum).

Another important index showing improved safety in train operations is Accidents Per Million Train Kilometer (APMTKM) which has reduced from 0.11 in 2014-15 to 0.03 in 2023-24, indicating an improvement of approx. 73% during the said period.

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## Consequential Train Accidents on Indian Railways and casualties therein:-

| Period             |   No. of Consequential |   No. of Deaths |   No. of Injuries |
|--------------------|------------------------|-----------------|-------------------|
| 2004-05 to 2013-14 |                   1711 |             904 |              3155 |
| 2014-15 to 2023-24 |                    678 |             748 |              2087 |

Total  cost  of  damages  to  railway  property  such  as  Rolling stock/Tracks  etc.,  in  consequential  Train  accidents  during  the  past five years (from April 2019 to March 2024) have been assessed as Rs. 313 Cr.

During the period from 01.11.2019 to 31.10.2024, 22 claims were registered under the Optional Travel Insurance Scheme.

Passengers  directly  fill  their  nomination  on  the  websites  on insurance  agencies  and  settle  claims  directly  with  them.  No  death claims were registered during the period from 01.11.2019 to

31.10.2024 with any of the insurance companies under Optional Travel Insurance Scheme. Inquiries into the rail accidents are carried out by the statutory body,  the  Commissioner  of  Railway  Safety  under  Ministry  of  Civil Aviation and Department Inquiry Committees as per laid down norms. The agencies, after due deliberations, submit their findings and recommendations in various accidents. As per the recommendations suggested by the agencies in their report, appropriate action is taken by the Railway Administration.

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