The Railway Ministry on Wednesday sacked 13 employees in connection with the derailment of the Utkal Express near Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh on August 19. Three top rail officials, including a Railway Board member, were sent on leave after an initial probe report blamed staff’s negligence for the derailment that killed 22 passengers.
Railway spokesman Anil Saxena said 13 Railway employees were removed in connection with the derailment. The sacked employees include a Junior Engineer and 11 ‘gangmen’ or track maintenance personnel, and one hammer man.
“They have been removed from job under Section 14/2 of the Railways Act for dereliction of duty and gross negligence in the Muzaffarnagar derailment case,” Saxena said.
A Railway Ministry official said the decision was taken by the senior administrative officials of the Delhi Division of the Northern Railways. “Railway has powers under Section 14/2 of the Railways Act to remove employees from service without any enquiry,” he said.
The action comes over 10 days after 14 coaches of the Kalinga Utkal Express derailed in Muzaffarnagar’s Khatauli area while a probe into the accident is being conducted by the Commissioner of Railway Safety.
Railway Board had earlier sent on leave Northern Railway General Manager RK Kulshreshtra, Railway Board Member Engineering Aditya Mittal and Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Delhi RN Singh and transferred the Chief Track Engineer of the Northern Railways.
While the action against Railway employees was reported, engine of the popular Doon Express got delinked from the coaches between Khetasarai and Jaunpur stations on the Varanasi-Faizabad section of the Northern Railways but fortunately it did not lead to any untoward happening on Wednesday afternoon.
The incident took place around 1 pm when the engine got separated from the Howrah-Dehradun Express train near gate number 56 after the coupling suddenly broke.
The Dehradun-bound train from Howrah (Kolkata) proceeded after an hour with the help of another engine.
Taking stock of the series of derailments this month, a draft report of a committee set up by Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu has recommended that divisional railway managers (DRMs) be more empowered to take decisions, particularly in emergencies.
The committee, ‘Making Divisions as Strategic Business Units’, was constituted by Prabhu in June to finalise a process by which more financial and executive powers are delegated to DRMs so they are able to handle day-to-day operations more effectively. It is expected to submit its final report to the Minister next month.
According to the draft report, DRMs should be fully empowered to grant blocks -- stopping or diverting trains till work on the tracks is over -- for up to three hours. “No questions should be asked on regulation of trains for maintenance blocks,” the committee has recommended. The three-hour time frame has been suggested to ensure that the block does not affect running of trains on other connected divisions.
The committee has suggested in its draft report that full flexibility be given to DRMs to utilise their revenue grant across ‘minor head’ and ‘primary head’ within the overall spending limit given to the division. It has also recommended that DRMs should have the power to make emergency procurements so that safety related issues are addressed quickly.
It has suggested that the Railway should replicate the process followed by the Central Public Works Department where contractors are pre-qualified by headquarters and a list of approved contractors is maintained.