Railways : Accidents & Insurance Policy ( I )

     In recent days country is jolt by Train accidents and in the span of mere six days country had witnessed six rail accidents which were of both small and large intensities, in these accidents one hundred and twenty five passengers lost their lives and more than four hundred and ten passengers were injured. Phase of unfortunate railways accidents started from 8th July, 2011 when Kanshi Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh witness railway accident and forty five travelers lost their lives; then on 10th July, 2011 in the country four rail accidents happened and eighty passengers lost their lives plus more than four hundred passengers injured. Then railways ministry was looking by P.M. and was without any railway minister as Mamta Banerjee now Chief Minster of West Bengal but former railway minister resigned as railway minister after spectacular victory of her party in the West Bengal assembly elections, after victory she prefer to become CM of West Bengal then Railway Minister of India. Railway announced compensation to both categories of travelers dead or injured in the recent accidents.

   In the UPA 2 Mamta Banerjee become railway minister on 22nd May,2009 and during her tenure as railway minister of country she spent most her time in West Bengal as assembly elections were near and during her stint as railway minister for the period of just two years total two hundred and twenty five big or small railway accidents took place and around one hundred and sixty nine persons lost their lives, but nothing concrete action was taken by railways as far security improvement is concern and after her resignation her party’s leader was made minister of state for railways from 20th May,2011 onwards, speculation was in the air that Mr. Mukal Rai will be promoted as Railways Minister in the due cabinet reshuffle but due to differences with the PM railway ministry snatched from Mr. Mukal Rai and minister of state for health Mr. Dinesh Trvedi made railway minister. After taking charge of railway ministry he visited railway accident spot and his statement was quite shocking as instead of providing heeling touch to victims he speaks in such a tone that it peel the wounds of the victims, like –

• Accident are called accident because it is an accident, no body can stop accidents?
• No place in the world where accidents not taken place, unfortunately while giving example we always follows America and he added even accidents happen in America.

He accepted that our system is very slow in accepting any new technology or system, but instead of blaming anything Railway Minister should take measures to remove the loopholes which are becoming reasons of accidents in the country which one can code like unmanned crossing lanes, check up of passenger trains brakes which are increased significantly should reduce.

   Hopefully new railway minister instead of pointing fingers towards anybody will work for the welfare of railways & passengers, and at the time of railways accidents avoid to give such a statement which hurt feeling of passengers further who are already loosing faith in the journey of railways.

                                                                                                   -  to be continue -