RAILWAY MINISTER’S STATEMENT
IN PARLIAMENT ON RECENT TRAIN ACCIDENTS
The Railway Minister,
Shri Nitish Kumar made the following Suo Motto statement on major
train accidents occurred recently on Northern, South Central,
East Central and Konkan Railways:
" I am pained
to apprise the House regarding the major unfortunate accidents
occurred recently on Northern, South Central, East Central Railways
and Konkan Railway (KRCL). This includes the incidence of fire
on Northern Railway and two major derailments on Konkan and South
Central Railways.
"On 15th
May, 2003 there was fire in2903 Up Golden Temple Mail at 3.55
hrs between Ludhiana and Ladhowal stations on Ferozepur Division
of Northern Railway. In this accident, three coaches got completely
burnt (S-3, S-4 and S-5) and the fourth coach i.e S-6 was partially
affected by fire. Immediate action was taken to stop the train
after detection of fire and thereafter the affected coaches were
separated from rest of the train to save further loss of life.
Immediate medical attention was provided to the injured persons
and relief and rescue work was started.
"I alongwith
the Minister of State for Railways and Chairman, Railway Board
inspected the site immediately on receipt of information. Members
of Railway Board also visited the accident site and supervised
relief and rescue operations.
"In this unfortunate
accident, 36 persons lost their lives 15 others were injured including
2 grievously injured. The Commissioner of Railway Safety/Northern
Circle is conducting statutory inquiry into this accident. He
has submitted his Preliminary Report and has said that the prima
facie cause will be established on receipt of forensic report.
His final report is, however, awaited.
"On 22nd
June, 2003, the train engine and first four coaches of 904 Up
Karwar-Mumbai central Holiday Special derailed and capsized due
to falling of boulders on Ratnagiri region of Konkan Railway (KRCL)
at about 21.15 hrs. In this unfortunate accident, 52 persons lost
their lives and 26 others were injured including, 16 grievously
injured. Best possible medical attention was provided to the injured
persons.
"Statutory Inquiry
into accident is being conducted by the Commissioner of Railway
Safety/Central Circle. He has submitted his Preliminary Inquiry
Report and has mentioned the provisional findings as "failure
of right side slope of cutting resulting into obstruction of track".
The Final Inquiry report is, however, awaited.
"On 2nd
July, 2003, 7201 Up Golconda Express, running between Guntur and
Secunderabad, derailed at Warangal station located on Vijayawada-Kazipet
Broad Gauge double line electrified section on Secunderabad division
of South Central Railway at 10.25 hrs. The train could not stop
at the ‘starter signal’ on loop line for scheduled stoppage and
entered the ‘sand hump’ after which the locomotive partly fell
into the road under bridge (RUB) hitting an autorickshaw plying
on the road below the railway track.
"In this unfortunate
accident, 21 persons lost their lives and 24 were injured including
16 grievously injured. Immediate medical attention was provided
and the injured were admitted in MGM hospital, Warangal. Medial
Relief trains alongwith doctors and officers from Kazipet and
Secunderabad were sent immediately.
"Minister of
State for Railways Shri Bandaru Dattatreya alongwith Chairman
and Member Traffic, Railway Board also rushed to the accident
site to supervise rescue and relief operations. General Manager,
South Central Railway and other senior officers also rushed to
Warangal. Statutory Inquiry into this accident is being conducted
by the Commissioner of Railway Safety/South Central Circle. He
has submitted his preliminary inquiry report and has mentioned
the provisional findings as "late application of brakes"
and has classified the accident under the category of "failure
of railway staff". The Final Inquiry report is, however,
awaited.
"Enhanced ex-gratia
payment to the tune of Rs.1 lakh to the next of kin of the dead
and Rs.15000 to grievously injured and Rs.5000 each to those having
simple injuries were announced immediately in all these three
major accidents.
" Indian Railways
have to operate amidst many adverse extraneous factors. On the
night of 14th July, 2003 and early hours of 15th
July 2003, there were four incidents of sabotage on Samastipur
division of East Central Railway, resulting in derailments of
3 passenger carrying trains viz 519 Up Sonpur-Gorakhpur passenger,
5219 Dn Kurla-Darbhanga Express, 285 Up Darbhanga-Narkatiaganj
Passenger and heavy detention to 530 Dn Groakhpur-Muzzaffarpur
Passenger due to blasting off of the track by using bombs in all
these cases. Live bombs were also recovered from the accident
sites which were subsequently defused by the State Government
authorities. Fortunately, all passengers escaped unhurt in these
untoward incidents which could have been fatal beyond imagination.
Train services were severely affected. Railway officials had to
struggle hard to restore the traffic, as all the incidents took
place within a short span of about five hours only at different
locations on the same division.
"In order to
stress the need for greater attention to safety, we had recently
called a two-day ‘Workshop on Safety’ wherein railway staff of
various categories of grass roots level viz. pointsmen, gangmen,
driver, guard, station master, permanent way inspector, carriage
and wagon examination staff etc. participated. This was attended
by the organized unions of the labour as well as federations of
railway officers. Some vital decisions have been taken based on
the deliberations of this Workshop and a follow-up action has
since been initiated on the same besides further intensifying
safety drives. Although the number of accidents have come down
as compared to previous years all out efforts are being made to
prevent accidents at all costs.
" On behalf
of railways and myself, I express deep condolences to the bereaved
families and also express sincere sympathies to the injured. I
trust the House will join me in extending heartfelt condolences
to the bereaved families".
