The Railway Board has increased by 10 times the ex gratia payments made in case of death or injury to anyone in train accidents. The ex-gratia relief was last revised in 2012 and 2013.
According to the circular, relatives of dead passengers of train as well as manned level crossing accidents will now get 5 lakh whereas those who are grievously in- jured will be awarded 2.5 lakh. Passengers with simple injuries will get 50,000.
Previously, these amounts were 50,000, *25,000 and 25,000 respectively. The cir- cular further stated that the dependents of dead, griev ously injured and simply injured passengers of untoward incident will get *1.5 lakh, 50,000 and 25,000 respectively.
In the previous ex-gratia scheme, this amount was *50,000, 25,000 and ₹5,000 respectively.
It added that ex-gratia relief has also been enhanced “to the road users who met with an accident due to railway’s prima facie liability at manned level crossing gate accident” and it will be applicable from September 18, i.e., from the date of the release of the circular.
Untoward incidents are offenses such as terrorist attack, violent attack and robbery in a train.
Announcing the additional ex-gratia relief for hospitalization of grievously injured passengers beyond 30 days in case of train accidents, the circular says, ₹3,000 per day to be released at the end of every 10-day period or date of discharge, whichever is earlier.
In case of grievous injury in an untoward incident, ₹1,500 per day to be released at the end of every 10-day period or date of discharge, whichever is earlier up to further six months of hospitalisation.