(a) whether it is a fact that the Railways incur more than Rs. 100 crore loss
per annum due to railway accidents only;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Railways thereto;
(c) the parameters adopted for compensation and the amount of compensation paid
to the victims and injured during the last three years; and
(d) the steps being taken to check the recurrence of such accidents in future?
MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI ADHIR RANJAN CHOWDHURY)
(a) to (d) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO 4283 BY SHRIMATI
SHRUTI CHOUDHRY TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.02.2014 IN LOK SABHA REGARDING LOSSES DUE TO ACCIDENTS.
(a) No, Madam.
(b) Does not arise.
(c) Railways are liable to pay compensation for death/injury of rail passenger in train
accidents under Section 124 of the Railways Act, 1989. Railway Accidents and Untoward
Incident (Compensation) Amendment Rules 1997 lay down the scale of compensation which
is Rs 4 lakhs for death and permanent disability and Rs 32,000/- to Rs 3,60,000/- for
injury depending upon the gravity of injury. Compensation to the victims of train
accident is paid by the railways on the basis of claims filed by them in the Railway
Claims Tribunal.
The amount of compensation paid to the victims for death/injury in train accidents (under
Section 124 of the Indian Railways Act, 1989) during the last three years, i.e., 2010-11,
2011-12 and 2012-13, has been estimated to be Rs 3.77 crore, Rs 5.10 crore and Rs 3.19
crore, respectively.
(d) Safety is accorded the highest priority by Indian Railways and all possible steps are
undertaken on a continual basis to prevent accidents and to enhance safety. These include
timely replacement of over-aged assets, adoption of suitable technologies for upgradation
and maintenance of track, rolling stock, signalling and interlocking systems, safety drives,
and inspections at regular intervals to monitor and educate staff for observance of safe
practices. Safety devices/systems being introduced to prevent accidents include provision
of Block Proving Axle Counters (BPAC), Auxiliary Warning System (AWS), Vigilance Control
Device (VCD), Train Protection Warning System (TPWS), Anti Collision Device (ACD), Train
Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), etc.