Mukul Roy non-committal on visit to Assam derailment site

Even after direction by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to visit the site of derailment of the Guwahati-Puri Express in Assam, Minister of state for Railways Mukul Roy today remained non-committal.

Asked specifically whether he would go to Assam since the directive was given by the Prime Minister, Roy told PTI, "I have nothing to say. I suggest you contact the General Manager of the NF Railway about this."

Northeast Frontier (NF) Railway General Manager M R Chandra said, "The minister (Roy) has already offered to visit the derailment site near Rangiya. But we told him that the ground reality is such that the situation is almost normal and there is no death except for some injuries."

Chandra told PTI that Roy had been told that rescue and relief operations were almost over and the destroyed track would be restored within 16 to 20 hours.

The General Manager claimed there were three passengers with grievous injuries, 13 with simple injuries and some with trivial injuries.

"The condition of those with grievous injuries is stable in hospital," Chandra said.

Asked about not visiting the Kalka Mail derailment site at Malwan, Roy replied, "Minister of state for Railways K H Muniyappa is already there to supervise rescue and relief operations. Moreover, the rescue and relief operations are almost over. 54 deaths have been officially reported and one injured person is in critical condition," he said.

The Prime minister is in charge of the Railway Ministry since the former Minister Mamata Banerjee became the Chief Minister of West Bengal.