LESSONS LEARNT ON THE BASIS OF ACCIDENT ENQUIRY REPORT OF CRS

( LEVEL CROSSINGS ) 

• LEVEL CROSSING GATE ACCIDENTS CONSTITUTE 16% OF TOTAL ACCIDENTS ON INDIAN RAILWAYS, BUT ACCOUNT FOR 46% FATALITIES.

• CRS CONDUCTED ENQUIRY AND SUBMITTED HIS REPORTS

ON LC COLLISION/DASHINGS HAPPENED IN VARIOUS RLYS.

• COULD LAY HANDS ON 17 NOS OF MANNED AND ONE U/M LC COLLISION/ DASHING REPORTS

• 65 PERSONS KILLED, 49 SERIOUSLY INJURED AND 79 SIMPLE INJURIES.

• THE CAUSE OF ACIDENT, RECOMMENDATIONS AND

RESPONSIBILITY FOR 17 REPORTS ARE ANALYSED IN DETAIL, CORRECTIVE ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN ARE DISCUSSED.

INTRODUCTION

CAUSE OF COLLISION NUMBER CASUALITIES

K GI SI

FAILURE OF RAILWAY. STAFF 10 38 23 35

FAILURE OF OTHER THAN RAILWAY STAFF

04 24 12 32

FAILURE OF RLY STAFF + OTHER THAN RAILWAY STAFF

03 03 14 12

TOTAL 17 65 49 79

ANALYSIS OF COLLISIONS IN MANNED LEVEL CROSSINGS

COLLISIONS DUE TO FAILURE OF RAILWAY STAFF

CAUSE OF COLLSION NO CAUSALITIES

K GI SI

GATEMAN EXCHANGED PN BEFORE CLOSING THE GATE

O3 06 16 23

GATE KEPT KEPT OPENED TO ROAD TRAFFIC AGAINST NORMAL POSITION OF CLOSED

02 04 04 11

PN NOT EXCHANGED BY STATION STAFF

02 09 01 -

OPENED GATE WITHOUT OBSERVING TRAIN

02 18 01 01

GATEMAN AND ASM BOTH FAILED TO EXCHANGE PN

TOTAL

01

10

01 01 -

28 23 35

COLLSIONS DUE TO OTHER THAN RAILWAY STAFF

CAUSE OF COLLSION NUMBER CASUALITIES

K GI SI

ROAD VEHICLE DRIVER CRASHING THE LC GATE 02

10 08 27

LIFTING BARRIER FAILED

AND ROAD DRIVER OVERSHOOTED CHAINED GATE

01

03 01 05

ROAD DRIVER CROSSING TRACK ADJACENT TO THE CLOSED LC GATE

01

11 03 -

TOTAL 04 24 12 32

COLLISIONS DUE TO RAILWAY STAFF AND OTHER THAN RAILWAY STAFF

CAUSE OF COLLISION NO CASUALITIES

K GI SI

GATE KEPT OPENED AGAINST NORMAL POSITION, WHILE CLOSING GATE, ROAD DRIVER OVERSHOOTED

01 - 03 02

TRAIN DRIVER NOT ADHERED CAUTION ORDER, ROAD DRIVER OVERSHOOTED CHAINED GATE

01

02 07 04

OPENING GATE BY FORCE

TOTAL

01

03

01 04 06

03 14 12

SUMMARY

• 60% OF ACCIDENTS AT MANNED LC IS ON ACCOUNT OF RAILWAY STAFF FAILURE

• 24% 0F ACCIDENTS ARE ON ACCOUNT OF OTHER THAN RAILWAY STAFF

FAILURE

• 16% OF ACCIDENTS ARE ON ACCOUNT OF COMBINED FAILURE OF RAILWAY STAFF AND OTHER THAN RAILWAY STAFF

• ULTIMATELY IT CAN BE CONCLUDED THAT 76% OF ACCIDENTS ON ACCOUNT OF RAILWAY STAFF FAILURE DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY

SHORT TERM MEASURES TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS IN MANNED LC

• IMMEDIATE COUNSELLING OF STAFF TO ADHERE WORKING INSTRUCTIONS, • CONSTITUTION OF SUPERVISORS TASK FORCE TO CERTIFY CORRECTNESS OF GATE WORKING INSTRUCTION WITH STN. • INCREASE SURPRISE INSPECTION TO ENSURE THAT STAFF FAITHFULLY FOLLOW WORKING INSTRUCTIONS , EXCHANGE OF PN, NORMAL POSITION OF GATE, PLANTING BANNER FLAG, • DIVISIONAL LEVEL ONE WEEK TRAINING FOR GATEMAN / GANGAMN AND ISSUE OF CERTIFICATE ONLY BY THEM,

• CROSS CHECKING BY SUPERVISORY STAFF THE PN EXCHANGE FOR TRAINS FOR ATLEAST ONE DAY IN A MONTH.

CONTD…..

SHORT TERM MEASURES TO PREVENTACCIDENTS AT MANNED LCS

• PLANT BANNER FALG AT 5M AWAY FROM GATE WHEN GATE IS KEPT OPENED FOR TRAFFIC IN NON INTERLOCKED GATE,

• THIS TO BE INCLUDED AS A TOOL IN LC TOOL LIST

• COUNSELLING STATION STAFF NOT TO OBTAIN PN FROM GATEKEEPERS SOONER THAN ABSOLUTELY REQUIRED

• TAKE ACTION ON INSPECTING OFFICIALS WHO HAVE NOT COMPLETED THEIR SHEDULE OF INSPECTION

• PERIODICAL PUBLICITY COMPAIGNS TO BE LAUNCHED AGAINST LC ACCIDENTS BY RAILWAYS AND NOT TO HARASE GATEMAN

• FILL UP VACACIES OF GATEMAN WITH GANGMAN IMMEEDIATELY

CONTD

INTERIM MEASURES TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS IN MANNED LCS

• UPGRADATION OF LCS IMMEDIATELY IN ACCORDANCE WITH BOARD LETTER,

• REVISE PROFORMA FOR LC INSPECTION AND RECORDINGS,

• CONNECT LC WITH ELECTRICITY, IF NOT , ATLEAST WITH SOLAR ENERGY,

• ERRECT ELECTRICALY LIT ROAD WARNING BOARDS ON STATE / NATIONAL HIGHWAYS BY RAILWAYS,

• TRAIN ACUATED WARNING DEVICES IN MANNED NON INTERLOCKED LCS

• PROVISION OF FLASHING LIGHTS, AUDIO WARNING BUZZER,

• TELEPHONE WITH DTMT CALLING SYSTEM TO BE PROVIDED,

• PROVIDE ROAD DIVIDERS ON LC APPROACHES TO PREVENT JAMMING OF ROAD VECHICLES CONTD

INTERIM MEASURES TO PREVENTACCIDENTS IN MANNED LCS

CONTD…..• PROVIDE STEEL CHANNEL BARRIERS ON VOLNURABLE GATES

• PROVIDE SECOND LIFTING BARRIER WHEREVER CRASHING HAPPENED, • RAIL-BUS COLLISION WARNING BOARDS ON ACCIDENT PRONE LCS TO BE PROVIDED,

• MINIMUM EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION OF GATEMAN TO BE 10+2 AND HIGHER GRADE IN GROUP “C “,

• SUPPLY WALL CLOCK TO LCS TO NOTE CORRECT TIMINGS

• STATE GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE STRONGER BARRIER AND WARNING BOARDS WHEREVER LCS ARE DIVERTED,

• IMPLICITLY IMPLEMENT ROAD WIDTH, GRADIENT ON LC AND ITS APPROACHES, WARNING BOARDS ETC AS PER CHAPTER IX OF IRPWM,

REVIEW OF POLICY DECISIONS BY BOARD

• RAILWAY BOARD MAY REVIEW THE POLICY DECISION ON THE COST SHARING MECHANISM OF CONSTRUCTION OF ROB / RUB ETC. TO ELIMINATE LCS ON NATIONAL HIGHWAYS/STATE HIGHWAYS IN A TIME BOUND PROGRAME

• RAILWAY BAORD MAY REVIEW THE TVUS CRITERIA IN ORDER TO PROVIDE AT LEAST MANNED INTERLOCKED LCS ON DISTRICT ROADS AND BUSY ROAD LCS