Seven rly officials sent on leave

NEW DELHI, Dec 4 — The Railway Minister, Ms Mamata Banerjee, has asked seven senior officers in her department to proceed on leave forthwith to facilitate an “impartial and unbiased” enquiry into the Punjab train accident in which 43 persons were killed and 145 injured.

Making a suo motu statement in the Lok Sabha, Ms Banerjee said the officers who have been asked to proceed on leave include the Chief Engineer and Chief Track Engineer of Northern Railway, Chief Motive Power Engineer (running), Northern Railway, Divisional Railway Manager, Ambala, Senior Divisional Safety Officer, Ambala and senior Divisional Mechanical Engineer and Senior Divisional Engineer concerned.

In her statement, Ms Banerjee said in the collision of 3005-Up Howrah-Amritsar Mail with derailed wagons of Down Foodgrain Special in the Ambala division, 43 passengers had lost their lives so far and 145 suffered injuries, either grievous or simple.

Statutory inquiry into the accident had already been started by the Commissioner of Railway Safety, Northern circle, she said.

Further considering the gravity of the mishap, she proposed to hold a judicial inquiry by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court.

Stating that accidents of this nature always shook the confidence of the common people on the railway system, she said that she had a firm belief that accidents were normally due to some failures.

“Therefore, I would like to assure the House that based on the findings of the inquiry, exemplary action will be taken against those found responsible for this accident, howsoever highly placed they may be”, Ms Banerjee said.

She said that so far 20 bodies had been identified. Of the injured, one was in a critical condition. Fortyfour passengers were discharged after giving first aid.

Narrating the sequence, she said at around 5.35 a.m. on December 2, 10 minutes after passing Sadhoogarh, 15 wagons of the Foodgrains Special derailed, two of them moving to the upline.

Immediately thereafter, the Howrah-Amritsar Mail moving on the upline collided with the derailed wagons.

The minister announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh to the families of those who have been killed in the accident and Rs 1 lakh each to those who were admitted in various hospitals.

She also announced the Railways would offer one job to a family member of those who lost their life in this accident.

Besides, compensation as admissible would be paid to them by the Railway Claims Tribunal of amounts varying from Rs 32,000 to Rs 4 lakh based on extent of incapacitation due to injuries. Rs 4 lakh compensation is paid in case of death.