Rail needs full-time Minister!

Train journeys are becoming increasingly hazardous.Every other day there's train accident at some place or other.No body can assure you'll reach your destination unscathed.Even you may be transported to the Otherworld by the multi wheeled monster.Perhaps we people have accepted these tragedies with stoic calm.The railway administration too seems to possess a lackadaisical attitude in this matter.It's awakened only when a massive accident takes place.They routinely pay money to the next of kin of the deceased and the injured and institute a commission of inquiry to investigate the cause of the accident.Then they wash their hands off and go to deep slumber till the next accident occurs.Perhaps hardly any action is taken based on the recommendations of the inquiry commission to minimise accidents.Again,the Central govt is too busy to appease their coalition partner that holds the railway ministry to set their house in order.Who cares for those whose lives are lost in accidents?Can money be a substitute for life?How many families are ruined in a rail accident of even moderate intensity! Incidentally, attitude of Railway board was apparently reflected in a panel discussion on railway safety and train accidents(July 30) in a private TV Chanel(ABP Ananda). Two of the panelists were ex- members of Railway board. on that very day three train accidents took place in a row and in one accident one of the coaches of Chennai-bound Tamil Nadu Express caught fire and it took toll of 47 lives and left 25 injured.The panelists, however, don't like to share the view that safety and security of Indian railways were alarming.They were complacent that even in advanced countries also railway accidents take place and compared to the vast number trains run by Indian railways the number of accidents taking place are reasonably few.Perhaps, such attitude is seemingly shared by the present members of the Railway board and UPA govt as well.If not, then how does PM allow the present Railway minister to monitor his departmental work from Kolkata?Our Railway minister behaves like a part-timer while the problem ridden Indian railways badly need a full-time minister.Unfortunately,our Prime minister is sacrificing human lives at the altar of compulsions of coalition politics. --