Ratan Tata seeks data on train accidents, details of preventive steps

Ratan Tata on Tuesday sought details of train accidents in the recent past and the railways' action plan to prevent such incidents at the second meeting of Kaya Kalp council in New Delhi.

In the wake of the accident on Monday in Andhra Pradesh that claimed six lives, the two-hour-long meeting held at the Railway Board saw the public transporter being asked to prepare the accident data which would be taken up at the next Kaya Kalp meeting on September 11.

According to a Kaya Kalp member, the Tata Group chairman Emeritus wanted to know whether level crossing gates are being equipped with hooter system to warn road users.

When told that some LC gates have the hooter system, he expressed a desire to have the complete data on accidents, including types of accident, casualties and other loss in the recent past and the steps being taken to curb such incidents, the member said.

Tata has also asked the two unions which are part of the council to come up with their suggestions on customer satisfaction and employees' benefit at the next meeting.

Referring to the National Transport Policy prepared by the Planning Commission, Tata sought to know the railways' plan for achieving the targets set in it.

Railways gave power-point presentations on aspects such as performance, social responsibility, customer satisfaction, employee benefits and adoption of modern technology in public transportation.

Data concerning railways of other countries like China, France, Germany and the UK, too, was presented in the meeting to fix a target for Indian Railways.

Kaya Kalp was set up to recommend innovative methods and processes for the improvement, betterment and transformation of the state-run rail network.

The meeting was also apprised of the huge cross-subsidy given to the passenger segment from freight earnings, the Kaya Kalp member said.

Besides two senior railway officials, general secretary of National Federation of Indian Railwaymen, M Raghavaiah, and general secretary of All-India Railwaymen's Federation, Shiv Gopal Mishra, are members of the Kaya Kalp council.

The image is used for representational purpose only. Photograph: Reuters