Telengana CM orders probe, blames railways for tragedy
Meda (Hyderabad): Telangana government has blamed Railways for the school bus-train collision here on Thursday alleging that despite repeated requests, no effort was made by the department to put up gate at the unmanned level crossing.
Thirteen people, including 12 school children, were killed and 15 other children seriously injured when a train rammed into their bus at an unmanned railway crossing in Masayipet village of Telangana’s Medak district on Thursday.
The 15 students of a private school, who sustained serious injuries in the mishap that occurred in Yeldurthy mandal of Medak, were rushed to various hospitals in Hyderabad. Police said the toll may rise as some of the children were critically injured.
According to Telangana Government Railway Police Inspector General Kripanand Tripathi Ujela, 12 boys and the school bus driver were killed on the spot after their bus was hit by the passenger train.
“The injured students have been rushed to different hospitals in Hyderabad,” the IG told PTI. State Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao reviewed the situation with Chief Secretary Rajiv Sharma and DGP Anurag Sharma. He ordered the officials to take necessary steps to extend all medical assistance to the injured.
Telangana Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao and Transport Minister P Mahender Reddy visited a hospital where the injured were admitted and also rushed to the accident spot. State Home Minister Naini Narsimha Reddy expressed his condolences and said a thorough inquiry will be conducted. “It is a sad incident. A thorough inquiry will be conducted and action will be taken against those responsible,” he said PTI.
Telangana Home Minister Nayani Narasimha Reddy, who visited a private hospital where injured students are undergoing treatment, told reporters that action should be taken against SCR officials for the negligence.
“The villagers have been requesting the Railways to put up a gate and man the crossing. Several memorandums were given, but nothing has been done in this regard. Stern action should be taken against SCR general manager and other officials concerned,” Reddy said.
“Due to utter negligence of Railway department many precious lives have been lost. We demand the SCR should immediately make necessary arrangements to erect the gate,” he added. State Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao, who visited the accident spot, also made similar allegation and demanded that the crossing should be manned immediately.
“Telangana government will ensure that families of the victims get Rs 5 lakh (each) as ex-gratia. All the medical expenses for the injured children will be borne by the government,” he said.
Meanwhile, the SCR officials said as per Motor vehicle Act and Indian Railways Act, road users should be cautious while crossing rail tracks at unmanned crossings. They said warning boards, road signs and speed breakers have been set up at all manned and unmanned railway crossings under the limits of SCR.
“We are in the process of eliminating all unmanned level crossings by 2016-17.
In the last four years, gates were put up at 514 unmanned level crossings and the process is underway to place gates at remaining 640 unmanned crossings,” a senior SCR official said, adding that till then the road users need to exercise caution while crossing such places.
Such incidents have come down to just one in 2013-14 from five in 2011-12 and three in 2012-13, officials said. YSR Congress party chief Y S Jaganmohan Reddy was among those who visited the accident site and condoled the grieving parents of the deceased students.
BJP Telangana unit president G Kishan Reddy said a high-level inquiry should be ordered and Railway department should immediately take care of all unmanned gates. (PTI)