The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Passengers vent ire at SCR officials

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Thursday, Sep 25, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Passengers vent ire at SCR officials

Special correspondent

Neglect of safety norms and poor maintenance of air-conditioned bogies alleged

— Photo: Srinivas Kommuri

cause of concern: Passengers with anxiety writ large on their faces waiting near the charred bogies of Padmavati Express on Wednesday morning.

ONGOLE: Railway officials ordered an inquiry into the fire accident in the Tirupati-bound Padmavati Express even as the passengers, who escaped miraculously, expressed their ire against them for neglecting safety norms and for the poor maintenance of air-conditioned bogies.

It is the fourth fire accident that occurred in air-conditioned bogies in South Central Railway during this year which calls for prompt action both in adopting better safety norms and maintenance. Ironically, smoke was noticed in the Secunderabad-bound Padmavati Express at the same spot exactly a month ago and it was promptly put out before causing any damage. When news channels and press photographs went to the railway station to cover the accident, railway officials blamed them for being “overzealous” and trying to blow up a minor incident.

Engineer’s version

An electrical engineer, who is working as a contractor and was travelling by the ill-fated train, said that the accident occurred due to short circuit. He expressed surprise that there was no facility to cut electrical supply in the air-conditioned panel during accidents. He said that the wiring too was of poor quality.

Another passenger expressed shock that the safety chains did not work either in the air-conditioned or general bogie. “Railway officials should be pulled up for poor maintenance,” he felt.

Unconfirmed reports said that the air-conditioned coach had two attendants to take care of the electrical system and operate fire extinguishers, etc. But both of them were recruited on contract basis and were not trained in safety operations.

“We saved our lives because there were only 30 passengers in the air-conditioned coach and they organised themselves reasonably well without getting panicky,” a passenger observed.

Ornaments lost

An eyewitness who recorded the fire in his digital camera said that the blaze started in the size of the headlight of a motorcycle at 3.08 a.m. and it turned into an inferno in just 15-20 minutes and took just two hours to reduce both the bogies to ashes.

Meanwhile, a couple going to Tirupati to attend the marriage of a relative said that they lost gold ornaments worth Rs. 2.5 lakh.

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