Railways claims tribunal likely to process compensation claims of deaths in Shramik special trains

With 110 passengers dead in railway premises during operation of Shramik special trains since May 1, the Indian Railways is likely to refer the issue of giving compensation to the railways claims tribunal.

The railway so far collected details, where it found 110 people died on board Shramik special trains or in railways premisis. "The each and every death is being probed by respective state governments where death happened to findout cause, " said an official in the railways.

While rejecting the allegation of death due to lack of food and water, the railway official said that most of death occured due to pre- existing heath problems.

Since May 1, the railways operated 4,611 Shramik Special trains and ferried 63.07 lakh migrant workers to their home states.

Earlier Railway Board Chairman V K Yadav also said that " all these cases are basically referred to the railway claim tribunal and on case to case basis these claims and compensations are decided."

The railways provides ex-gratia payment to victims of railway accidents under the Railway Act mainly due to derailment, any other accident or fault.

However, for death or injuries caused mostly by passengers or by trespassing or run over or accidentally falling from a train, the compensation can be sought through claims tribunal. In these incidents exgratia will not get, said the offical.