The railway ministry on Sunday sent three officers on leave, including a member of the railway board, for the Utkal Express derailment. The move comes as a crack down on the negligence in the railways.
Stung by the accident and criticism by opposition parties, the ministry sent railway board member (engineering) Aditya Kumar Mittal, Northern Railways general manager, R K Kulshrestha and divisional railway manager, R N Singh on leave till further orders. Mittal was to retire at the end of this month, but the action will send a signal to the top officials and authorities about the current dispensation’s zero tolerance towards accidents.
Four officers, including the senior divisional engineer, Delhi division, were suspended and the chief track engineer was transferred.
“This is the first time in recent history that a member who is a secretary-level officer has been punished and sent on leave. The action reflects government’s zero tolerance against accidents”, an official said.
A criminal complaint has also been lodged under IPC section 304A, against unknown people for causing deaths by negligence.
