The Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION
(Shri Jayant Sinha)
(a) & (b): Yes, Madam. The Chief Commissioner of Railway Safety acts as Principal Technical Advisor to Central Government on Railway Safety issues. The duties of Commissioner of Railway Safety as spelt out in the Chapter-III, section 6 of the Railways Act,1989 are as under:-
i. To inspect new railways with a view to determine whether they are fit to be opened for the public carriage of passengers, and to report thereon to the Central Government as required by or under this Act;
ii. To make such periodical or other inspections of any Railway or of any rolling stock used thereon as the Central Government may direct;
iii. To make inquiry under this Act into the cause of any accident on a Railway and
iv. To discharge such other duties as are conferred on him by or under this Act.
(c): Yes, Madam.
(d): The number of inquiries conducted and recommendation made therein by the Commission during each of the last three years and the current year is as under:
Year No. of inquiries No. of Recommendations
2014-15 13 49
2015-16 14 62
2016-17 8 52
Current year 5 33
The Commission has made 196 recommendations in last three years & current year. The main recommendations are as under:
i. Railway should plan for replacement of 52 Kg/90 UTS ''D marked'' rail with priority on routes having important trains such as Rajdhani Express. Further 52 Kg/90 UTS ''D marked'' rails also laid at vulnerable locations i.e. on bridges, bridge approaches, high embankments etc. should be planned for replacement on priority.
ii. All the sanctioned track renewal works should be undertaken on top priority in this section.
iii. Railway must ensure that there are no unsafe practices followed in track maintenance as detected during site inspection.
iv. Railway should strictly enforce the provisions of the General Rules with special emphasis on points affecting movement of train, responsibility for shunting, accident or obstruction, working in case of accident or failure of communications, precautions before commencing operations which would obstruct the line etc.
v. Railway should carry out periodic technical audit of track maintenance practices in the field and take remedial measures to ensure that manual provisions are complied with.
vi. Railway should ensure strict enforcement of provisions of G&SR para 5.13, 5.13/2 (a) & 5.14 while conducting shunting in a station yard.
vii. In view of repeated cases of signal passing at danger, it is necessary that locomotives are equipped with an effective ACD/TPWS/TCAS without further delay to prevent collisions and resultant loss of life.
viii. Old coaches should be inspected in great detail for corrosion and repaired during POH. Coaches with unrepaired corroded sole bar should not be allowed in trains.
ix. The motorman should not be permitted to work beyond 10 hours from sign on to sign off.
x. Security patrolling of the track should be carried out in the vulnerable sections.
(e): Yes Madam, in exercise of the powers conferred by the section 7 of the Metro Railways (Operations and Maintenance) Act, 2002, Government of India has approved Creation of one circle office of Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety (CMRS) at New Delhi with Commissioner of Railway Safety (CMRS) as the head of the office to assign the statutory duties and responsibilities of work related to Metro Rail transportation''s safety.
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