(a) whether an accident of a school van and Bhatinda- Sriganganagar passenger train was occurred at a level crossing on January 28, 2000;
(b) if so, the reasons therefore; and
(c) the steps taken by the Government to avoid such type of incidents in future?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI DIGVIJAY SINGH)
(a) & (b) Yes, Sir. This accident at an unmanned
level crossing occurred due to failure on the part of
driver of school van to take precaution as laid down
under section 131 of the Motor Vehicle Act before
negotiating the level crossing.
(c) A statement is attached.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (c) OF
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2332 BY SHRI MADHAVRAO SCINDIA
TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 09.03.2000 REGARDING
RAIL-VAN ACCIDENT AT LEVEL CROSSING
(c) Measures for reducing Unmanned Level Crossing
accidents
1. Proper Road Signs have been provided on
approaches to level crossings so that road
vehicle drivers become aware of the
existence of a level crossing gate.
2. Speed breakers/rumble strips have been
provided on approaches to level crossing
gates so that road vehicle drivers are
reminded to reduce their speed.
3. Whistle boards are also provided alongside
the rail track on approach to level
crossings. Train drivers are required to
whistle from the whistle board till such
time as the train passes the level crossing
gate in order to warn road users about the
approaching train. Periodic drives are
launched for checking whether drivers are
actually whistling from such whistle boards.
4. Road users have still not got used to the
faster speeds of Mail/Express trains. A
train traveling at 90 KMPH covers 25 m/sec.
Thus, although to the road user the train
appears to be 150 meters away, in terms of
time it is only 6 seconds away. This
message is being conveyed to them
progressively by various publicity measures.
5. To educate road drivers about safety at
unmanned level crossings, publicity
campaigns are periodically launched through
various media like quickies on TV, cinema
slides, posters, talks on radio, newspaper
advertisements and street plays.
6. Since accidents at unmanned level crossings
take place due to negligence of road users,
the State Governments can also help by
exercising strict checks while issuing
driving licences, specially to drivers of
trucks, buses and other heavy vehicles. All
Chief Secretaries have been requested to co-operate in educating road users.
7 Joint Ambush Checks with civil authorities
are conducted to nab errant road vehicle
drivers under the provisions of the Motor
Vehicles Act, 1988 and the Railways Act,
1989.
8. Involvement of village Panchayats in the
railways public awareness programs is also
being done.
9. Permission has been received from some of
the State Governments for putting up L-Xing
Safety posters at Village Panchayat Offices.
These posters are presently under printing
and this work will be started in the near
future.
10. Permission has also been received from
IOC/HPC/BPC for putting up L-Xing Safety
posters at retail petrol pumps. These
posters are presently under printing and
this work will also be started in the near
future.
11. An intensive campaign through public address
system has been launched to sensitize the
public about the dangers from explosives and
need to maintain extreme vigilance regarding
unclaimed/unattended objects.
12. Intensive publicity is carried out through
televisions quickies, advertisements in the
National and local press to educate the
public against the hazards of carrying
inflammable material in their luggage.