Rail Minister faces tough questions in Lok Sabha

New Delhi: Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi today virtually got derailed during Question Hour in the Lok Sabha with several members cornering him on the sensitive issue of rail accidents. Facing the Lok Sabha for the first time after taking over as Railway Minister, Trivedi appeared to be at loss of words while replying to members’ concerns on the issue. “It is a serious matter. There is no disagreement in saying that we are all concerned,” he said in a reply to Congress member Vilas Muttemwar’s question on safety measures taken by the ministry in the wake of several rail accidents. [caption id=“attachment_54308” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Trivedi appeared to be at loss of words while replying to members’ concerns on the issue. Raveendran/AFP”] [/caption] “At this stage, I must thank the rail parivaar - right from the gangman to the boardman everyone is dedicated,” Trivedi said recalling that there were 2000 rail accidents in the 1960s, while this year there have been 93 accidents. Muttemwar, a former union minister, could not help remark that Trivedi is new to the ministry and will take time to understand everything. On Muttemwar’s supplementary questions on vacancies in safety related departments and accidents continuing despite taking various measures, the minister merely said “I have all the answers only if you have patience to listen to it.” Trivedi’s remarks that Indian Railways was the best system in the world given the constraints in the country drew sharp reactions from members. As he tried to compare rail accidents in India with those in Europe, BJP member Yashwant Sinha asked him not to make any comparison as even a single death in a rail accident was “most despicable”. The Railway Minister said the government has accorded highest priority to safety in Railways instructing the General Managers of all Zonal Railways to undertake intensive inspections including at night besides regular safety checks. He said among other measures to prevent accidents were replacement of over-aged assets, adoption of suitable technologies for upgradation, maintenance of tracks, rolling stock, signalling and interlocking systems, safety drives besides adequate training to manpower. Earlier, lashing out at Railways, Javadekar said, “Nowhere in the world such high number of accidents took place.” He said over 1,200 accidents occurred after 2004. “Why is it that only small fries are made scapegoat in case of accidents,” he said, adding that the Railways has failed to make senior officials accountable for mishaps. He asked whether the government intended to bring Railway Safety Act in Parliament and whether it was ready to constitute Accident Investigation and Crisis Management Board. Taking a dig at Centre he said, it is prompt to plead that it does not have a magic wand whether it is inflation or high number of accidents. “We don’t need a Rocket Science for Railway Safety,” he said. He charged the Railways with adopting a callous attitude towards safety saying that even the British government has written to the Indian government stating that bridges built during its regime have outlived and should be replaced. Many such bridges were being used while track renewal was completely ignored, he said. PTI