Prabhu offers to quit after two rail tragedies

In a big shake-up after two major train derailments in four days, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on Wednesday offered to resign.

Prabhu’s offer to quit comes after the Delhi-bound Azamgarh-Delhi Kaifiyat Express derailed near Achalda railway station in Uttar Pradesh’s Auraiya district on Wednesday, leaving at least 100 people injured. The incident occurred barely after the derailment of Utkal Express near Khatauli.

Also, Air India Chairman and Managing Director Ashwani Lohani was appointed as the new Railway Board chairman in place of A K Mittal, who quit from the post on Wednesday morning.

The development followed the government’s directive that top railway ministry officials must take full responsibility for the Utkal Express derailment.

An initial probe ordered by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) found severe lapses in maintenance work in that section, which led to the derailment of the Puri-Haridwar Utkal Express, which claimed lives of 21 passengers and injured over 80 people last Saturday.

What apparently hastened the matters was the news of derailment of 10 coaches of the Kaifiyat Express.

Hold on, says PM

Prabhu was told by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hold on for “some more time” when he offered to quit, accepting moral responsibility for the mishaps.

“I met the Hon’ble Prime Minister @narendramodi taking full moral responsibility. Hon’ble PM has asked me to wait,” Prabhu tweeted. “I am extremely pained by the unfortunate accidents, injuries to passengers and loss of precious lives. It has caused me deep anguish,” he said.

Prabhu called on Modi after the Union Cabinet met on Wednesday morning. Hours after his meeting with the prime minister, the Appointments Committee cleared the appointment of Lohani, a 1980-batch officer of the Indian Railways Service of Mechanical Engineers.

Lohani, who is credited with efforts to turn around Air India, was directed to take charge as early as possible. Asked for his reaction to Prabhu’s offer, Finance Minister Arun Jaitely said, “Accountability is good system in government. The PM will take a decision on whatever request the railway minister has made.”

After meeting the the prime minister, Prabhu did not came to office at Rail Bhavan. His office staff said the minister went to out of the city. In the last five years, nearly 53% of the 586 train accidents have been caused by derailments.

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