Kolkata: CPI(M) leader Basudeb Acharya on Monday accused Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee of not taking "any initiative" to maintain and modernise the public transport
service, especially at Sainthia where two express trains collided early this morning leaving at least 51 people dead.
"Maintenance is not done properly. The Railway Minister has no time for this and has not taken any initiative," said Acharya, a former chairman of the railway standing committee
and party leader in Lok Sabha.
He claimed that work on upgrading the signal system in the route where the accident took place had come to a halt for a year now and the old system was still in place.
He also said that there was shortage of staff and vacancies were not filled up in the Railways.
There was also delay in beginning rescue work at Sainthia, he alleged.
A train in high speed tore through the rear of another killing 51 people and injuring over 90 at the Sainthia station in Bhirbhum district of West Bengal, after it apparently
overshot the signal in the small hours of the day.
PTI
First Published: Monday, July 19, 2010, 12:54