Day after accident, top Rlys officials sent on leave

Hours after the preliminary probe into the derailment of Utkal Express revealed the negligence on part of local-level officials, the railway ministry on Sunday night cracked the whip.

The ministry sent three of its top officials, including Railway Board Member (Engineering) A K Mittal, on leave, suspended four officers and transferred one.

Probe into the Saturday’s derailment in Muzaffarnagar indicates “negligence” by local railway officials responsible for track maintenance. According to the railway officials here, track maintenance was in progress a few metres ahead of the spot where the train derailed, and that there were directions to allow the trains to pass at a slow speed. Utkal Express, however, was travelling at a speed of over 100 kmph when it derailed.

“The driver might have applied the emergency brakes after seeing repair work on the tracks ahead, resulting in the derailment,” said a railway official.

Officials ruled out possibilities of any sabotage. Officials said lapses on part of local officials not following standard protocol led to accident. Member (Engineering) in the Railway Board, Northern Railway General Manager R N Kulshrestha and Divisional Regional Manager (Delhi) R N Singh have been sent on leave in the wake of the derailment in Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh, the Railways said.

The Railways also suspended four of its officials — senior divisional engineer, assistant engineer, a senior section engineer (permanent way), responsible for track maintenance and a junior engineer. Chief track engineer, Northern Railway, was transferred as part of the action by the Railways.

The derailment in Khatauli resulted in the death of 22 people and injuriestoover150others, 26 of whom are in acritical condition. Earlier, Minister of Railways Suresh Prabhu said he will not allow laxity in operations by the Railway Board.

“Have directed Chairman Railway Board (CRB) to fix responsibility on prima facie evidence by end of day,”he tweeted. Perhaps, it is the first time in recent memory that action was initiated against a railway board member for railway accident.