Question : COMMISSION ON RAILWAY SAFETY

(a) the details of the mechanism in place to inquire into cases of Rail accidents;

(b) the details of the terms of reference and composition of the Railway Safety Commissions appointed during the last three years;

(c) whether the Railways have not been able to adopt and implement a number of recommendations of these Safety Commissions during the last three years;

(d) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor; and

(e) the steps taken/being taken to ensure the proper implementation of the said recommendations?

MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI DINESH TRIVEDI)

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

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF STARRED QUESTION NO.512 BY SHRIMATI JAYA PRADA AND SHRI YASHVIR SINGH TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 08.09.2011 REGARDING COMMISSION ON RAILWAY SAFETY.

(a): There is a laid down mechanism to inquire into every Railway accident. Accidents are classified depending on their consequences. The level of inquiry in each accident is decided accordingly i.e., whether to be conducted by the Commission of Railway Safety, functioning under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, or at the level of Railway Board, Zonal Railway (Zone/Division). The time frame for each activity i.e. inquiry, submission of report and follow-up actions is laid down. For minor accidents, suitable (Jr. Scale, Sr. Scale, Jr. Administrative Grade) inquiry committee is set up at Divisional level or at Senior Administrative Grade (SAG) / Higher Administrative Grade (HAG) level in the Zonal Headquarters. For accidents attended with loss of human life, or with grievous hurt, or major loss of property, inquiry is done by the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) as per the provisions of Section 113 of the Railways Act, 1989. In some cases, inquiry has also been done by a Commission, set up under Section 3 of the ‘Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952’. Apart from this, Expert Committees are set up by the Government from time to time to look into overall safety issues on Indian Railways and recommend suitable measures.

(b): No Commission of Inquiry was appointed under the ‘Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952’ by the Government in the last three years.

(c) to (e): Do not arise.