Kanchanjunga Express Accident: No one knows what is happening in the railways these days, says Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday criticised the central government over the Kanchanjunga Express train accident and said that no one knows what is happening in the railways today.

"When I was the Railways Minister, I saw 2-3 major train accidents after that I ensured that the anti-collision device was prepared and started. After that collision of trains stopped. What is happening in the railways today, no one knows," she said.

There are several issues in the Railways Ministry, Banerjee added.

Separate Railways budget has been stopped and this department is not getting enough importance now, she said.

The West Bengal CM said, "I know A-Z of the Railways, nothing new has been done. The new metro and railway stations are because of my time. Just see the 2020 vision, I gave money for everything."

Kanchanjunga Express Accident:

A container goods train collided with passenger carrying Kanchanjunga Express near Rangapani station in North Bengal today. An official statement on the accident said the container train overshot a red signal and hit the rear portion of Kanchanjunga train.

According to official estimates, nine lives were lost in the incident while 32 passengers face non-life threatening injuries. The locopilot (driver) of the goods train lost his life in this incident. The guard of the Kanchanjunga Express could not survive the incident either. Miraculously, the assistant locopilot of the goods train survived the accident. Seven passengers have been declared dead.

Visuals from the accident site showed distraught passenger scrambling for help. The National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF), divisional team of the Indian Railways and 15 ambulances had reached the accident site.

PM announces aid:

Expressing grief, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of each deceased in the railway mishap in West Bengal. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000. Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who is at the accident site announced an enhanced ex-gratia compensation of Rs 10 Lakh in case of death, and Rs 2.5 Lakh towards grievous and Rs 50,000 for minor injuries.