Question : ACCIDENT AT TUNDLA RAILWAY STATION

(a) whether Kalindi Express train collided with a stationary Shramjeevi Express at Tundla junction recently;

(b) if so, the total number of passengers injured and the number of passenger bogies damaged alongwith the number of people died in this incident;

(c) whether any inquiry committee has been set up to look into the matter; and

(d) if so, the details of the action being taken against the officials responsible for such incidents and steps taken to check the incidents of trains hitting from behind in future?

MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI K.H. MUNIYAPPA)

(a) to (d): A statement is attached.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1305 BY SHRI RADHA MOHAN SINGH, SHRIMATI MEENA SINGH AND DR. VINAY KUMAR PANDEY ‘VINNU’ TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 04.03.2010 REGARDING ACCIDENT AT TUNDLA RAILWAY STATION.

(a): Yes, Madam. On 16.01.2010 at 08.10 hrs, train number 4724 Kalindi Express collided with 2452 Shram Shakti Express which was standing at Tundla Home Signal between Mitawali and Tundla stations of Ghaziabad - Tundla section of Allahabad Division of North Central Railway.

(b): In this accident, 3 passengers lost their lives, 18 passengers suffered injuries and one passenger coach was damaged.

(c): Statutory inquiry into above accident is being conducted by the Commissioner of Railway Safety, North Eastern Circle.

(d): The Final Report of Commissioner of Railway Safety, North Eastern Circle is awaited. Action would be initiated after receipt of the Report of Commissioner of Railway Safety.

Following steps are being taken to prevent such accidents in future:

(i) Timely replacement of over aged signaling assets.

(ii) Provision of track circuiting of station yards.

(iii) Provision of Axle Counter for Block Proving.

(iv) Provision of Light Emitting Diode (LED) signals.

(v) Provision of interlocking of gate signals.

(vi) Provision of means of communication to level crossing gates.

(vii) Pilot projects of Train Protection Warning System (TPWS) covering 828 route kilometers.

(viii) Anti-Collision Device (ACD) developed by Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL) has been in service trial as a pilot project on 1736 Route Kilometres of Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) since July, 2006. Based on experience on NFR, specifications for ACD have been revised to improve efficacy, reliability and availability of the ACD. The improved version of ACD is proposed to be extended to three more Zonal Railways (Southern, South Western and South Central Railways) for in-service trials.