Railway Minister to consider insurance raise for rail mishap victims: Ram Naik

Mumbai: Senior BJP leader Ram Naik today said that Union Railway Minister Sadanand Gowda has assured him that the demand for increasing insurance cover to victims of train accidents would be positively considered.

Naik said he and Mumbai North MP Gopal Shetty met Gowda in Delhi yesterday and submitted a memorandum on demands and suggestions regarding Railways. "The minister said the demand for increasing insurance cover for victims of railway accidents would be considered," Naik stated.

Presently, Rs four lakh is given as an insurance to the family of the railway victim upon death. Other victims get insurance cover in proportion to their injuries. "These amounts were decided way back in 1997 and no revision has been made in the last 16 years. Looking at the hiked cost of living we urged upon the Railway Minister to increase these insurance amounts appropriately. He readily agreed to consider," Naik said.

Naik and Shetty also submitted the memorandum on behalf of Railway Claims Tribunal Bar Association Mumbai. They told the minister that the post of judicial member at Railway Claims Tribunal, Mumbai is vacant since last two years and the decisions are given only by the technical member of the Tribunal. Complainants often feel that their cases are not considered judiciously.

The Railway Minister assured the duo to fill the vacancy at an early date. Naik, a former Railway Minister himself said issues related to Mumbai Suburban Railway were also discussed with Gowda. They urged him to publish "white paper" on Mumbai suburban Railways to which the Minister assured to consider the demand.