Punjab Train-bus mishap: Rly announced lucrative compensation

Dec15:  Railway Minister announced on Friday Rs 5 lakhs each to dead and Rs 50,000 to critically injured and Rs 15,000 each for the minor injured person.

In one of the shocking accident on Friday morning at least 18 people were killed and not less than 16 injured when a private mini bus dash with a passenger train in Moga district in Punjab.

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The bus had carried 30 passengers on board mostly school and college going children out of which 16 people died on the spot while two-critically injured-were rushed to the hospital, succumbed to death later in the hospital, and ultimately took the toll of 18.

As per the official report out of the 18 people killed, nine were schoolchildren. At least seven critically injured people had been rushed to Ludhiana while the minor injured were sent to the Moga Civil Hospital.

“Eighteen people were killed when a mini bus and the Sutlej Express going from Ludhiana to Ferozepur collided around 9 am,” said Senior Superintendent of Police, Moga, L K Yadav.

No casualty or injury had been reported to any of the train passengers. But, the Ludhiana-Ferozepore section was affected by the accident.

An inquiry has been ordered and would be conducted by Commissioner of Railway Safety, official sources said in Delhi.

Although the reality of the accident would come later after the complete inquiry, but in the first stances it seems that owing to the dense fog had engulfed the area in the morning and the bus driver perhaps could not see the railway gate as well as train. The train was travelling at the speed of 80 km per hour at the time of mishap, officials said.

Some eyewitness said that gateman was not present at his work place as well as the accident site. Police and railway officials said they were trying to ascertain that if the accident was due to gateman’s fault.

Prakash Singh Badal, Punjab Chief Minister announced adequate compensation to the families of those killed. Also, he said the state government would pay the cost of funeral of the victims and announced free medical aid for the injured.

Meanwhile Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav announced ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakhs to families of each of the dead and also announced compensation of Rs 50,000 to the critically injured and Rs 15,000 each for the person suffered minor injuries.

Besides Mr. Yadav also said Railway would consider providing job to one of the family members of the dead belonging to poorest of the poor section.

Railway Minister said an inquiry commission would be set up to find the cause of mishap and also would find out how the bus entered the manned level when the Satluj Express was due to pass.

"If it was found that the gate was open, then an FIR will be lodged against the gateman for culpable homicide not amounting to murder. He will be immediately placed under suspension and appropriate action as per law will be taken later," said Railway Minister.

He further said there were 35,000 unmanned railways crossing across the country and efforts were trying to make them manned.