Bangalore, Oct 23: Faulty wheel disc in one of the five derailed coaches of Mysore-Bangalore passenger train led to its accident in Mandya district of Karnataka this morning, Railway Minister Nitish Kumar said. "Wheel disc failure is said to be reason for the mishap," Kumar, who was to go to the accident site but later deputed Minister of State for Railways Basanagoud Patil, told reporters here.
An official release had earlier said Kumar reached the accident site along with Patil, Railway Board chairman and senior officials. Kumar said the wheel discs were manufactured at Durgapur Steel Plant in Bhilai and there were some instances of faulty wheels causing mishaps in central railway and other parts of the country.
He said he has directed the commissioner for railway board to take steps to remove faulty wheel discs. Meanwhile, commissioner for railway safety has rushed to the spot to conduct a statutory inquiry into the accident.
Condoling the deaths in the mishap, Kumar announced an ex-gratia of Rs one lakh to the kin of those killed, Rs 50,000 to seriously injured and Rs 5000 to those with minor injuries.
Bureau Report