New Delhi: As many as 382 railway track maintenance personnel have lost their lives having been hit by trains during duty, in the last five years, the government said in Rajya Sabha on Friday.
As per the data shared by the Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw while replying to a question from CPM MP A. A. Rahim asking for the State/UT-wise list of railway personnel killed on duty during the last five years, Uttar Pradesh topped the list with 61 getting killed followed by 48 in Maharastra, 35 in West Bengal, 33 in Andhra Pradesh, 29 in Bihar and others.
Asked about the steps taken by the Ministry to avoid such deaths, the Union Minister replied that "regular counseling of track maintainers is being done through seminars/workshops for 'personal safety first' while working near the track, work site remote control hooter and whistle has been provided to all gangs to warn the working personnel about the approaching train, speed restrictions on adjacent lines are imposed while taking up track renewal works by Track Relaying Train (TRT) and Ballast Cleaning Machines (BCM) in view of safety."
As for the compensation provided to the bereaved families and whether there is any plan to increase the compensation, the Union Minister said "Ex-gratia compensation is paid to the families of Railway employees who die in harness in performance of bonafide official duties under various circumstances.
"The powers to sanction exgratia compensation have been delegated to Divisional Railway Managers of Zonal Railways. Instructions issued from time to time by the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions are followed in the matter," he added.
