Lok Sabha Question No. 2918 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-16
Subject: Railway Accidents
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: SUBHASH RAMRAO BHAMRE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2918 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16.12.2015

## RAILWAY ACCIDENTS

## 2918. DR. SUBHASH BHAMRE:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Railways has taken adequate measures to protect and guard the railway track from the intruders/trespassers and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the  number  of  deaths  reported  on  railway  tracks  during  the  last three years and the current year, year-wise;
- (c) whether  there  is  continuous  rise  in  the  number  of  deaths  on  the railway  tracks  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  reasons therefor;
- (d) whether  there  are  instances  of  delay  in  evacuation  of  injured persons from rail tracks and if so, the reasons therefor; and
- (e) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Railways for evacuation of injured/dead persons from rail tracks at the earliest?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

( SHRI MANOJ SINHA )

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

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (e)  OF UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  2918  BY  DR.  SUBHASH  BHAMRE  TO  BE ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  16.12.2015  REGARDING  RAILWAY ACCIDENTS

- (a):   Railways  have undertaken  following measures  to  guard  the railway track from intruders/ trespassers and to prevent run over cases and death on railway tracks:
1. Erection of boundary wall/ fencing at identified locations, vulnerable to trespass.
2. Regular announcements are made through Public Address system at railway  stations  urging  passengers  to  use  over  bridges  and  avoid crossing of railway tracks.
3. Various passenger awareness programmes like 'Nukkad Nataks' are conducted to create public awareness about the dangers of crossing railway tracks.
4. Conduct of SMSs campaign to sensitize people against trespassing at unmanned level crossings.
5. Safety counsellors are detailed to visit villages, panchayats, schools, colleges etc. to sensitize the public against trespassing.
- (b): The details of deaths on tracks [in railway accidents/ unmanned level crossings/ other reasons (trespass etc.)] reported during the last three years and the current year, are as under:-

| Year             |   Death on railway tracks due to trespass, etc. |
|------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
| 2012             |                                           16336 |
| 2013             |                                           19997 |
| 2014             |                                           24393 |
| 2015 (Upto Nov.) |                                           20312 |

| Year                      |   In consequential train accidents (excluding unmanned level crossing accidents) |   At unmanned level crossings Accidents |
|---------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|
| 2012-13                   |                                                                               81 |                                     124 |
| 2013-14                   |                                                                               54 |                                      98 |
| 2014-15                   |                                                                              162 |                                     130 |
| 2015-16 (Upto Nov., 2015) |                                                                               49 |                                      47 |

- (c): There  is  a  rise  in  the  number  of  deaths  on  railway  track.  Railway system is spread over the length and breadth of the country and people get run over due to trespassing, violating safety and cautionary instructions, avoiding over bridges, using mobile phones and other electronic gadgets while crossing railway tracks, falling from trains while travelling on footboards, steps, roofs of the trains etc.

(d) :   No,  Madam.  Injured  persons  are  promptly  evacuated  from  railway tracks.

- (e): (i) In respect of evacuation of injured persons in mid section, the guard  of  the  concerned  train  informs  the  Station  Superintendent  of  the nearest  station,  who  arranges  for  medical  assistance  to  the  injured besides informing the police.
- (ii) Any  railway  employee  who  finds  an  injured  person  on  or  near  the track, is duty bound to render first-aid or summon medical help as early as possible,  and  to  inform  the  police  through  the  nearest  station  master  or any other person in the vicinity.
- (iii) Evacuation of dead persons from railway tracks is the responsibility of the state police.  When a dead body is found on or near the track by any railway servant or by the staff of a subsequent train, he informs the police through  the  nearest  station  master  or  any  other  person  in  the  vicinity. Generally the dead body is not removed until the arrival of police. However, to clear the line for the movement of subsequent train, the body is removed from the line with minimum required movement. The body is thereafter left in  charge  of  village  chowkidar  or  responsible  person  in  the  vicinity  or lineman or gateman.

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