Passenger safety top priority: Lohani

New Railway Board Chairman Ashwani Lohani on thursday said the safety of train passengers will be the topmost priority of the railways.
 
Speaking to reporters after assuming charge he said "Safety will be our topmost priority, of course. Cleanliness, improvement of stations, and ending corruption and VIP culture would be other areas of focus."
 
He further said it was an "emotional moment for me". "There are lot of expectations and the railways will work hard to improve, " he said.
 
The Railway Ministry on Wednesday appointed Lohani as the Chairman of Railway Board after A K Mital had tendered his resignation following two derailments within a span of five days.
 
Despite several top officials in the railway was contender for the post, the government selected Lohani as the Prime Minister Narendra Modi keen to turnaround the national transporter.

Suresh Prabhu thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for agreeing with his suggestion to appoint

Ashwani Lohani as the new Chairman of the Railway Board to implement newly-launched initiatives.

"Welcoming Ashwani Lohani and thanks to Prime Minister for agreeing with suggestion to have him to steer rail board to implement launched initiatives," Prabhu said in a tweet.

Lohani's appointment was announced hours after Prabhu met Modi on Wednesday and offered to quit after a second train derailed in Uttar Pradesh in four days, injuring 74 people.

Prabhu said Modi had asked him to "wait".