Southern Railway General Manager R.N. Singh has accused a private tour operator from Lucknow of having violated the undertaking on ensuring safety in the coach, leading to the death of nine persons in Madurai on Saturday. However, Madurai MP Su. Venkatesan has blamed it on the railway authorities.

Railway security agencies and officials said the illegal use of a gas cylinder by the tour operator for making tea in the coach caused the fire when it was parked on a stable line away from Madurai Junction. "Illegal use of gas cylinder inside the coach led to the accident," the General Manager said. The coach had made a successful journey for nine days since August 17 and operated at many places. "We had got an undertaking from the tour operator that he would not carry any inflammable materials in the coach. But he violated it," he added.

However, when asked who should have checked the coach for inflammable materials, Mr. Singh said it would have been checked at Lucknow when the coach was attached to the train. "But the operator could have illegally smuggled the gas cylinder into the coach," he added.

He further said the operator should have maintained the minimum discipline with regard to railway safety.

'No guidelines' However, the Madurai MP has said that when there is a ban on carrying gas cylinders in trains, the coach had carried it for 10 days of its journey. "It was not inspected at all at any of the stations en route," he said, adding that had the accident occurred when the train was running or when it had entered the station, the magnitude of the damage could have been unimaginable. He said the Railways did not have proper guidelines for inspection of such tourist coaches. Fire extinguishers were available only in air-conditioned coaches and not in non-AC coaches. Mr. Venkatesan said the Railways should fill all posts meant to ensure safety.

The General Manager said stringent action would be taken against the tour operator. A.M. Chowdhary, Commissioner of Railway Safety, Southern Circle, Bengaluru, will hold a statutory inquiry at the conference hall of the Madurai Divisional Office at 9.30 a.m. on Sunday. A statement said any member of the public having knowledge of the incident and desiring to give evidence may do so.

 

Media: The Hindu