After 2 train derailments in four days in Uttar Pradesh, Chairman of the Railways Board Ashok Mittal has submitted his resignation to Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu today.
India Today has confirmed his resignation while other reports mention that Ashwani Lohani may take Mittal’s place. Reports also mention that Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu has not accepted his resignation as yet.
Mittal's tenure was supposed to end on 31st July 2016, but he had been given an extension of two years.
His resignation comes in the wake of as many as 74 passengers being injured as nine bogies of the Kaifiyat Express derailed in UP's Auraiya district early today. The train rammed against a dumper carrying construction material for railway work, officials here said.
The train travelling from Azamgarh to Delhi collided with the dumper at around 2:50 am between Pata and Achhalda railway stations, a spokesperson for the North Central Railway (NCR) said.
Earlier, over 20 people had died when the Utkal Express had derailed near Muzaffarnagar. The Government on Sunday suspended four railway officials and sent Northern Railway General Manager R.N. Kulshrestha on leave.
The authorities also sent Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of Delhi, Member of Engineering, Railway Board (secretary level) on leave and transferred Chief Track Engineer, Northern Railway.
Further Details Awaited
With Agency Inputs
