Rail mishaps rattle Prabhu, says will go
Air India chief is new Railway Board chairman
Hours after the Kaifiyat Express collided with a dumpster in UP, injuring 100 people, Union railway minister Suresh Prabhu, “pained by the unfortunate accidents and loss of precious lives”, offered to resign from his post taking “moral responsibility”.
While PM Narendra Modi is yet to take a call, Railway Board chairman A.K. Mittal has been replaced by Air India chairman and managing director Ashwani Lohani.
Wednesday’s accident came five days after the Utkal Express derailment in which over 23 people died and scores were injured. In a series of tweets, Mr Prabhu wrote, “In less than three years as minister, I have devoted my blood and sweat for the betterment of the Railways… tried to overcome
ABOUT 100 passen- gers were wounded when 10 coaches of Kaifiyat Express train derailed after crashing into a dumper in UP.
decades of neglect through systemic reforms in all areas… New India envisioned by PM deserves a Railways which is efficient and modern. I am extremely pained by the unfortunate accidents... It has caused me deep anguish. I met the Prime Minister, taking full moral responsibility. Hon’ble PM has asked me to wait.”
MUMBAI-BOUND passengers of PuriLokmanya Tilak Express escaped a mishap as the train took a wrong route from Raja Athagarh station in Odisha.
Four days after the Utkal Express derailed in Muzaffarnagar, the Kaifiyat Express derailed in Auraiyya district of Uttar Pradesh in the wee hours of Wednesday, injuring 74 passengers, of whom four are reportedly in critical condition.
However, latest agency reports said that around 100 people have been injured.
The engine and nine coaches of the Kaifiyat Express, which runs between Azamgarh and New Delhi, derailed at 2.50 am between Achlada and Pata village when the train rammed into a dumper. The train was running at 105 kms per hour when the collision took place.
Fifty seven of the injured have been admitted to various hospitals, including the Sefai PG Medical College, with serious injuries. The condition of four passengers is said to be critical.
Locals rushed to help passengers out of the derailed bogies, and soon a medical relief train reached the accident site. The dumper had apparently overturned while crossing the track through an unmanned crossing.
Additional forces and ambulance were also rushed to the spot from Auraiyya, Etawah and Kannauj, while a team of National Disaster Response Force was dispatched from Lucknow to provide support to the victims. A rescue train was also sent to take the stranded passengers to Delhi.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed the officials concerned to ensure proper treatment of the injured passengers.
Railway spokesperson Anil Saxena said the train was travelling from Azamgarh to Delhi when it collided with a dumper around 2.50 am between Pata and Achhalda railway stations. One of the bogies of the train overturned, which impacted the other bogies, causing their derailment. Officials said that work for a dedicated freight corridor was in progress at the time of the accident.