Over a month after hundreds of people lost their lives in Indore-Patna Express accident at Pukhrayan in Kanpur, railways has decided to double the compensation paid to train accident victims.

As per the revised compensation rules, the immediate family of a deceased passenger would now get Rs 8 lakh instead of earlier Rs 4 lakh as compensation from the government. The new rules will come into effect from January 1, 2017.

The government, in an official statement, said that railways has amended ‘Railway Accidents and Untoward Incidents (Compensation) Rules, 1990’ and the new amended rules are being now referred to as ‘The Railway Accidents and Untoward Incidents (Compensation) Rules, 2016’.

For loss of both hands or amputation at higher sites, loss of hand and a foot, double amputation through leg or thigh on one side, severe facial disfigurement and absolute deafness, railways would give Rs 8 lakh instead of Rs 4 lakh as compensation.

The said compensation would be given over and above the compensation of a maximum Rs 10 lakh to the families of train mishaps’ victims those who had opted for insurance cover for train travel.