Over 81,000 deaths on rail tracks in 2012-15: Govt

Over 81,000 deaths have been reported on railway tracks since 2012, Lok Sabha was informed today.

As many as 16,336 deaths took place on railway tracks in 2012, while 19,997 were in 2013, Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha said in a written reply in Lok Sabha.

Number of deaths reported in 2014 stood at 24,393, while it was 20,312 till the November this year.

Sinha admitted that there was a rise in the number of deaths on railway track.

He said the Railway system is spread over the length and breadth of the country and people get run over due to various reasons, including trespassing, violating safety and cautionary instructions, avoiding over bridges, using mobile phones and other gadgets while crossing railway tracks, falling from trains while travelling on foot-boards, steps or roofs of the trains.

He said injured persons are promptly evacuated from the railway tracks.

In respect of evacuation of injured persons in mid section, he said, the guard of the concerned train informs the Station Superintendent of the nearest station, who arranges for medical assistance to the injured besides informing the police.