Bilaspur train accident: Cong demands Rs 1 cr compensation to kin of each deceased, high-level probe

Bilaspur, Nov 5 (PTI) The Congress on Wednesday demanded a high-level probe into the Bilaspur train accident and compensation of Rs 1 crore to the kin of each of those who lost their lives in the tragedy.

Eleven persons, including six women, were killed and 20 others injured when a MEMU (mainline electric multiple unit) passenger train crashed into a stationary goods train after allegedly overshooting a red signal near Bilaspur railway station on Tuesday.

The incident occurred around 4 pm between Bilaspur and Gatora stations on the Mumbai-Howrah rail section, when the passenger train was heading to Bilaspur from Gevra in neighbouring Korba district.

Speaking to reporters, Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee president Deepak Baij said the train accident was the result of “gross negligence” and demanded a high-level probe into it.

Compensation of Rs 1 crore must be given to the kin of each of the deceased and Rs 50 lakh each to the injured, said the Congress leader after meeting the passengers receiving medical care in hospitals across the Bilaspur city.

The accident reflected the BJP-led Centre’s continued neglect of Chhattisgarh despite the state contributing heavily to the railway’s revenue, he claimed.

“Why hasn’t the ‘Surkasha Kavach’ automatic safety signalling system been installed on Chhattisgarh’s railway tracks?” Baij asked.

He said the central government earns more than Rs 25,000 crore every year from freight operations in the Bilaspur railway zone alone. “Despite this, passengers here are deprived of essential safety infrastructure,” he claimed.

A proposal to install the Kavach safety signalling system on approximately 600 kilometres of up and down lines in the Bilaspur railway zone has been pending with the Centre since May 2024, he claimed.

The people of Chhattisgarh have elected 10 Lok Sabha MPs from the BJP (out of 11 seats in the state), one of whom is Bilaspur MP Tokhan Sahu, a Union minister, he said.

Sahu should abandon sycophancy and demand that the Narendra Modi government install the Kavach signalling system on all railway tracks in the state, Baij said. Otherwise, he should resign from his post, as he has failed to live up to the expectations of the people of Bilaspur, he said.

Passenger safety on trains should be prioritised, and the Railway Safety Commission's responsibility should be fixed, said Baij.

“When the automatic braking safety technology is being installed throughout the country, why are Chhattisgarh's railway tracks not included. What kind of revenge is being taken against the rail passengers of Chhattisgarh?” he asked.

Stressing that compensation alone is not a solution, he said the government should show promptness in using technology and resources for passenger safety.

The railway is not just a mode of transport but the lifeline of millions of Indians, and it is the government’s responsibility to maintain its reliability, added the Congress leader. PTI TKP NR