Thursday, Mar 28 2024 | Time 18:58 Hrs(IST)
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Second accident in 4 days: Prabhu offers to resign, asked to wait by PM, Railway Board chief axed

Second accident in 4 days: Prabhu offers to resign, asked to wait by PM, Railway Board chief axed

Auriyya/New Delhi, Aug 23 (UNI) An estimated 74 people were injured when the Capital-bound Kaifiyat express derailed after hitting a loader between Pata and Achalada stations on the Kanpur-Delhi grand trunk route in the pre-dawn hours today, four days after the Kalinga Utkal Express ran off the tracks, killing 24 people and more than a 100 injured. In a chain reaction, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu offered to put in his papers and was asked to wait by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Railway Board Chairman A K Mittal resigned, owning moral responsibilty for both the accidents and was replaced by distinguished technocrat Ashwani Lohani. UP Principal Secretary (Home) Arvind Kumar said the 12225 Kafiyat Express derailed after a loader carrying sand for track work on the dedicated freight corridor overturned on the tracks and the rushing train collided with it at around 0240 hrs. Eight coaches and the engine of the train derailed. Two critically injured were shifted to Saifai and an equal number of others were sent to Etawah. Both the train drivers received head injury. Men of the National Disaster Response Force were despatched from Lucknow but the rescue operation ended before the team arrived. More than 50 long distance and passengers trains were diverted or cancelled. A medical relief train was rushed to the site from Tundla while a Mainline Electric Multiple Unit rake was sent from Shikohabad to evacuate the passengers, North Central Railway spokesman Amit Malaviya said. All passengers were evacuated and the stranded passengers left the site by 0850 hrs for their onward journey to Delhi. Kanpur-New Delhi Shatabdi Express, the Lucknow-Agra Cantonment Intercity Express, the Lucknow-New Delhi Gomti Express were cancelled. New Delhi-bound Rajdhani trains originating from Howrah, Rajendra Nagar (Patna), Sealdah and Bhubaneswar, besides the Garib Rath from Ranchi, were diverted through Lucknow-Moradabad while New Delhi-Lucknow Shatabadi Express was diverted through Moradabad-Bareilly route. All passenger trains were running on the Kanpur-Tundla section. Mr Prabhu offered his resignation. "I met the Hon'ble Prime Minister @narendramodi taking full moral responsibility. Hon’ble PM has asked me to wait," Mr Prabhu tweeted. 'In less than three years as Minister, I have devoted my blood and sweat for the betterment of the Railways. Under leadership of PM, tried 2 overcome decades of neglect thru systemic reforms in all areas leading 2 unprecedented investment & milestones. New India envisioned by PM deserves a Rlys which is efficient and modern. I promise that is the path, on which Rlys is progressing now,” Mr Prabhu said. A statement of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) said the government had approved the appointment of Mr Lohani as the Chairman of Railway Board. Opposition Congress reaffirmed its demand that the Railway Minister resign from his post owning moral responsibility for the accidents. Party spokesman Manish Tewari said the moral responsibility for the increasing accidents lies with the Railways Minister. On August 19, an estimated 24 passengers were killed and hundreds injured when 14 coaches of the Haridwar-bound Kalinga-Utkal Express derailed near Khatauli station in Uttar Pradesh. UNI Team SW-RP1857

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