New Delhi: More than 360 railway workers lost their lives in the last five years while carrying out maintenance work on train tracks, the Ministry of Railways informed Parliament Friday.
According to data shared by Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw in a written reply to Rajya Sabha, 361 railway workers, including trackmen and women and keymen and women, died due to train accidents between 2019-20 and 27 November this year.
The minister was replying to a question by CPI(M) MP from Kerala A.A. Rahim.
According to zone-wise data, a maximum of 44 deaths occurred in the Central Railways during the period under review, followed by 40 deaths in Northern Railways, 31 in North Central Railways, 30 in East Central Railways and 24 each in North Western and South East Central Railways.
“Safety of track and workmen is accorded highest priority in Indian Railways. Various safety measures are taken by Indian Railways for safety of track maintainers while carrying out track maintenance activities in close proximity to the track,” Vaishnaw said.
Listing measures the government has taken to ensure the safety of maintenance workers, Vaishaw said regular counselling of track maintainers was done through seminars and workshops on the theme “personal safety first”.
He said personal protective equipment such as luminous vests, safety helmets, miner light, tri-colour torch, safety shoes, retro-reflective and high-visibility jackets and light-weight improved tools and equipment were provided to track maintainers.
The minister added that remote control hooter and whistle was also provided to warn the working personnel about the approaching train and lookout men were deputed where necessary. Speed restrictions on adjacent lines were imposed while taking up track renewal.
Vaishnaw said that RAKSHAK — the high frequency-based system that warns track maintainers of approaching trains — has been sanctioned for 12 zonal railways on the Golden Quadrilateral and Diagonal routes which has cost the Indian Railways Rs 91.61 crore.
However, the system doesn’t work in some instances as it is not effective in hilly terrain, deep cuttings, tunnels and sharp curves, where there is obstruction in line of sight. It also does not function on sections with more than two lines.
“Considering the above limitations of Rakshak system, it has not yet been provided on 55 divisions of the Indian Railways,” the minister added. The Railways has around 70 divisions.
(Edited by Tikli Basu)
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