–-SATISH HANDA
Information reveals, Railway Claims Tribunal (RCT) paid amount worth Rs 1288.11 crore to victims died or seriously injured in 16833 rail accidents in the country in past four years and over 11000 cases of railway accident claims are yet pending for compensation. In case of death or a serious injury due to an mishap on the rail track, railway station or in the train due to fault on the part of railways amount of compensation is paid to the dependants of victim by the Railway Claims Tribunal after investigation as per rules in the case by Government Railway Police (GRP) and Railway Protection Force (RPF). Ministry of Railways has directed RCT to solve all pending cases immediately. There are large number of accident claim cases pending with RCT yet awaiting memo from Railway Station Manager where or near the place mishap or or post-mortem or medical report by the government hospital by the GRP not submitted to RCTs
Information reveals Railway Claims Tribunal sorted out claims of 16833 railway accidents in past four years and paid compensation amount worth Rs 1288.11 crore to accident victims or their dependants in total number of 16 zones in the country, which include maximum number of 5062 persons lost their lives in 2018-19 In rail mishaps and paid amount worth Rs 378.68 crore towards compensation to their dependants In the year 2017-18 when the number of rail mishaps was recorded as 4947 and RCT paid amount worth Rs 359.58 crore towards compensation.
Information further revealed that 5679 cases of railway accidents were reported to RCT during year 2020 which included maximum number of 1563 cases in Northern Railways apart from another 754 accident cases forwarded to RCT directly by the accident victims or their family members. According to railways record, 2278 persons were reported died in 2455 railway accident cases which included maximum number of accident cases in Central Railways during year2021 against which RCT paid Rs 173.54 crore towards compensation to victims.
Hari Mohan Senior DCM Ambala Rail Division told that according to new notification the investigation report by GRP or RPF in every case of railway accident is compulsory and will be forwarded to the Chief Claim Officer through Divisional Rail Manager for compensation duly verified by GRP or RPF after receipt of railway ticket from the victim and body handed over to the family of deceased after post-mortem but the amount of compensation is not permissible in case of death or injuries due to suicide, attempt to suicide by the passenger or in case of victim was under the influence of liquor or drugs or in the state of madness at the time of accident.
According to data collected from railway department, during year 2020, out of total number of 6679 rail accident cases during the year, maximum number of 1563 accident cases were reported in Northern Railway, 524 accident cases reported in Southern Railway, 247 cases reported in Western Railway, 1154 accident cases reported in Central Railway and remaining rail accidents were reported from rest part in the country in different zones. Similarly, out of total number of 2278 rail accident cases reported during current year 2021 till Match 31 st maximum number of 493 accident cases were reported in Central Railway, 384 accident cases reported in Northern Railway, 240 accident cases reported in Southern Railway, 237 accident cases reported in Western Railway and remaining rail accidents from rest part in the country.
