People's Democracy

EDITORIAL

Railway Minister Must Go

YET another tragic railway accident has taken place. The colossal misery of death and injury has brought home the fact that even the most prestigious of trains like the Rajdhani are not insulated from such mishap.

This accident is probably the worst to have happened since the plunging of a passenger train in the Baghmat river in June 1981. Over a thousand people reportedly lost their lives then. Since 1990, over thirty major railway accidents have taken place consuming lives and permanently disabling thousands. This is the fourth major accident in recent years on bridges built over our many rivers.

As is its won't, this Vajpayee government and the railway minister, displaying insensitivity to human tragedy of the worst order, have promptly attributed the accident to sabotage. If this is so, then by all means, constitute a proper high level inquiry to book and punish the guilty.

The government's claim, however, lacks credibility given its own track record. The derailment of the Shramjeevi Express on May 12, this year, was likewise blamed on sabotage. The spectre of ISI was invoked. Yet, the enquiry pointed to human error as the cause of the accident. This very Howrah-Delhi Rajdhani Express derailed in February 1996, about a hundred kilometers from the present accident site. The railway's internal inquiry described the accident as an act of sabotage. But the UP state government and Superintendent of Police (RPF) ruled out this conclusion pointing out that a goods train had passed on the same track minutes earlier.

Similarly, on this occasion as well, a train had passed on the same track and the bridge shortly before. The Bihar DGP has ruled out the possibility of sabotage occurring within this short space of time. Over six years have elapsed since the same train derailed on the same track, which was blamed on sabotage. Even if this were true, what is being done to protect the tracks and improve security? The railways pay Rs. 15 crores annually to state governments to protect the tracks. Is this amount sufficient? Are state governments discharging their duties adequately? Isn't it time to pursue such questions? The government and the ministers are more keen to pass the blame but not discharge their elementary duty to the country and the people. On this count alone, they should quit office.

More pertinent to this accident is the fact that the bridge over river Dhaba, on which the accident occurred, was built by the British (as are most of the 1.2 lakh railway bridges in the country) in 1916. Work on strengthening it last took place in 1958. In 1998, in order to improve safety, the railways had appointed the Khanna Committee to report on the state of the bridges. This committee had identified over 300 as being distressed. While the present one does not fall under this category, this was also identified as one requiring rehabilitation. The work had to be done in a year from when the report was submitted in 1991. Virtually, nothing has been done so far!

What compounds the tragedy is the fact that all measures identified to improve safety are ignored while the government and the railway ministry concentrates on advancing their political objectives through the railways. The large-scale bifurcation of the railway zones is an issue in point. Rejecting the recommendations of the Rakesh Mohan Committee, set up by this minister himself, the railways have gone ahead with this bifurcation. Precious sparse resources are being spent on unnecessary administrative expenses leaving little for improving safety. For such gross misconduct as well, the ministers must quit.

As we go to press, many people are still to be rescued from trapped bogies. It is worthwhile recollecting that some years ago, the railways had imported accident cranes to be used on such occasions. A full 48 hours after the accident, one still has not seen any of these cranes in action. These were bought at huge cost to save human lives trapped like now by providing fast methods for prying open the ill-fated bogies. Where are these cranes? Why are they not being used to save lives?

Some years ago, a public interest litigation was filed by a social activist, Vivek Khare, alleging large-scale corruption in buying such cranes. Amongst other things, it was pointed out that these cranes could never reach accident sites in time and this is suggestive of sleaze as the main objective of these purchases. The railways defended themselves by stating that Indian tracks do not permit the movement of these cranes at fast speeds to reach accident spots in time! If this be true, then, how can the same tracks permit the Rajdhanis and Shatabdis to hurtle at speeds of 130 kilometer per hour? And, that too, on century-old bridges that needed repairs?

These and many other related questions need answers to prevent such future tragedies. A proper high level inquiry must immediately be ordered. In the meanwhile, this Vajpayee government's mis-governance with its tragic human consequences cannot be condoned. The railway ministers, interested as they are only in advancing their political and individual interests, should immediately be made to quit office.