Railways form new policy to compensate accident victims

On September 13, after being hit by a local train, 30-year-old Mohan Shelke lay unattended on a platform of the bustling Dadar railway station for more than eight hours, before succumbing to his injuries. The reason was a delay in payment of Rs 750 by the railway authorities for his medical aid, reports Rachna Pratihar.

On September 13, after being hit by a local train, 30-year-old Mohan Shelke lay unattended on a platform of the bustling Dadar railway station for more than eight hours, before succumbing to his injuries. The reason was a delay in payment of Rs 750 by the railway authorities for his medical aid.

HT Image

The Railways are now trying to change things. They have formed a policy to disburse immediate medical aid for railway accident victims and have increased the aid amount from Rs 750 to Rs 1,450.

The Bombay High Court had rapped general managers of both Central and Western Railways for non-implementation of court orders and for insensitivity shown by the railway authorities towards accident victims. The court observed that despite a profit of Rs 20,000 crore, the railways could not spare Rs 20 lakh towards medical facilities for rail accident victims.

As per the Government Railway Police (GRP) statistics, on an average, around 650 persons are victims of railway accidents per month, out of which 50 per cent succumb to injuries. Out of these, half of them (around 66 people every month) lose their lives due to delay in medical treatment.

After being pulled up by the HC several times, the Railways and the GRP have now put forth a proposal.

Qaisar Khalid, deputy commissioner of police (Railways) told Hindustan Times, “On humanitarian grounds, the least that we can do is to ensure a respectable death for the victims. As a short-term solution to this problem, we have prepared a proposal that was duly accepted by the railway administration.”

According to the new policy, railways will pay Rs 750 as ambulance charges. In case the victim succumbs to his injuries, then another Rs 700 will be paid to the GRP for cremation (which includes payment to the porters and arranging for the funeral rites).

All these payments will be made in cash by the station master/booking clerk of the concerned railway station. CR and WR officials have confirmed the development.