CPI(M) leader Basudeb Acharya today accused railway minister Mamata Banerjee of not taking "any initiative" to maintain and modernise the public transport service, especially at Sainthia where two express trains collided early this morning leaving at least 51 people dead.

"Maintenance is not done properly. The Railway Minister has no time for this and has not taken any initiative," said Acharya, a former chairman of the railway standing committee and party leader in Lok Sabha.

He claimed that work on upgrading the signal system in the route where the accident took place had come to a halt for a year now and the old system was still in place.

He also said that there was shortage of staff and vacancies were not filled up in the Railways.

There was also delay in beginning rescue work at Sainthia, he alleged.

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Sonia condoles deaths in Sainthia accident

New Delhi

Congress president Sonia Gandhi today condoled the loss of lives in the train accident in West Bengal's Birbhum district.

She conveyed her deep condolences to the bereaved families and wished speedy recovery to the injured.

The mishap occurred as a speeding express train rammed into the rear of another at the Sainthia station in Bhirbhum district of West Bengal, killing 51 people.

The engine of the Uttarbanga Express, which was to stop at the station, telescoped into the rear of the Vananchal Express.

The affected bogies have been detached and the trains left for their destinations.

The railway minister announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs five lakh each for the kin of the dead, Rs 1 lakh for grievously injured and Rs 25,000 for the other injured.

Employment for one of the members of the victims' families will be given in railways, she said.

BJP questions Mamata's competence in handling Railways portfolio

New Delhi

Railways have ordered a probe by the commissioner of railway safety (eastern circle).

BJP today raised eyebrows about the capability and willingness of Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee in providing safety to passengers and suggested that if she continued to use her office for playing politics in West Bengal she should be made "minister without portfolio".

"Mamata Banerjee should concentrate on railways. If she is using the railways as a platform for politics in West Bengal, it is better to make her a minister without portfolio," BJP spokesperson Tarun Vijay said.

More than 60 people are feared dead and 90 injured in an early morning collision between Uttarbanga Express and Vananchal Express that took place at Sainthia station in Birbhum district of West Bengal.

Five major train accidents have taken place since Banerjee took over as the Railway Minister in 2009.

When asked if BJP would demand her resignation, the spokesperson said at the moment the party only wanted an inquiry into the latest incident.

"The accident has raised serious doubts about the railways capability to provide safety and a comfortable journey," Vijay said.

"Why Railways have not learnt lessons till now is a serious question," he added.

He suggested that the inquiry into the latest accident should also look into this issue.

Vijay said the statement of Banerjee after the accident that she has "deep doubts" about its cause seems to suggest that it could be a Naxal attack or a case of sabotage.

Mamata hits censure from opponents for railway mishap

Parties say Railway ministry suffering as Banerjee focuses on WB politics

New Delhi/Patna

The train accident today gave fodder to non-UPA parties to target Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee who was accused of being busy with West Bengal politics at the cost of her ministry but the government defended her.

BJP, LJP, RJD and CPI(M) said the collision betweeen Sealdah-bound Uttarbanga Express and Uttaranchal-bound Vananchal Express in Bhirbhum district of West Bengal was the result of a lapse for which they held Banerjee answerable.

"The people are raising serious doubts about her (Banerjee's) capability and her willingness and her sincerity whether she can provide safety in the railways," BJP spokesman Tarun Vijay said in New Delhi while noting that this was the second major train mishap in one month.

"You have a Minister whose attention is elsewhere and the country is paying the price for that," CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury said.

Contending that "this is something which cannot be accepted in the collective responsibility of the Cabinet," he said, "The Prime Minister has to take a call. It is high time he takes a call because in the past one year, the highest number of railway accidents have taken place."

LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan said in Patna that the Railway Minister will have to "make a choice as to whether she wants to be Railway Minister or do West Bengal politics. Both cannot go together. The loss of so many lives in every three months is not tolerable."

Demanding a judicial probe into the train mishap, the former Railway Minister said, "It is a serious lapse on the part of the Railways...There were no Naxal activities and no fog even then such a major accident occurred."

Banerjee's predecessor and RJD chief Lalu Prasad said, "This is a sad incident and a serious lapse."

Apparently targeting Banerjee, he said, "I don't understand why such accidents are taking place."

He, however, evaded a direct reply when asked about allegations that Banerjee was concentrating on West Bengal politics and in turn ignoring her department.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, meanwhile, sought to dismiss suggestions that Banerjee's absence from her Ministry was the reason for recurrence of train accidents.

"Accidents are accidents. Nobody can predict, that's why it is an accident. I don't think so," he told reporters when asked whether the country needs "a full-time" Railway Minister as there was another accident in less than two months.