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At least 10 people were injured in a stampede at Bandra Terminus Station in Mumbai on Sunday morning.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw (File)
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray lashed out at railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw over the stampede incident at Mumbai’s Bandra Terminus railway station that left 10 people injured, saying it was a shame for the country to have an “incompetent minister” at the helm.
Further calling the railway minister a “reel minister,” Thackeray said the BJP has made the minister a ‘prabhari’ (responsible person) for the upcoming state elections.
“I hope the rail minister becomes the railway minister once. The incident in Bandra only shows how the Railway Minister is doing now. BJP has made Ashwini Vaishnav ji as Prabhari for BJP Maharashtra for elections, but every week there are some incidents and accidents happening with railways. It’s a shame that our country is forced on a minister who can’t do it,” he said in a post on X.
I hope the reel minister becomes the railway minister for once. The incident in Bandra only illustrates how the present Railway Minister is not capable.
— Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) October 27, 2024
Rajya Sabha MP from Thackeray’s faction, Sanjay Raut, also traded barbs at Vaishnaw, saying that the latter is highly educated and his association with premium institutions like IITs is highlighted, but he has failed to solve the problems of the common people who depend on the Railways. to travel.
Raut said, “The railway minister is very involved in the bullet train project and people are being left to die due to poor infrastructure because the railway minister is not connected to the problem. Who is responsible for so many people getting injured (referring to the stampede at Bandra station)? Is it not is the railway minister responsible?” Raut wants to know.
#WATCH | Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said, “Since the Modi government came to power for its third term and the railway minister has been given the reins, more than 25 major train accidents have taken place in the country claiming more than 100 lives… You say … https://t.co/COiURJDB46 pic.twitter.com/B2SQBXn07U— ANI (@ANI) October 27, 2024
The statement came after at least 10 people were injured in a stampede at Mumbai’s Bandra Terminus Station on Sunday morning. Of the 10 people, five were admitted, three injured were discharged after first aid and two seriously injured have been shifted to KEM hospital for further treatment, said Dr Sushil, CMO of Bandra Bhaba Hospital.
The incident took place around 2:45 am when passengers rushed to board the unscheduled 22921 Bandra-Gorakhpur Antyodaya Express while moving to platform number 1 from the Bandra Terminus yard. While the scheduled departure of the 22-coach train is at 5:10 am, officials said that during the festival, passengers often rush to occupy their seats as there are no reservations.
Western Railways said in a statement, “On 27.10.2024 at about 02.45, passenger train number 22921 Antyodaya Express was slowly placed on platform number 01 of BDTS yard, when some passengers on the platform tried to board the moving train. and 02 the passenger fell and was injured.”
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said the stampede took place after the festive rush ahead of Diwali. Many passengers rushed to board train 22921 Bandra-Gorakhpur Express, which led to a stampede, he said.
Meanwhile, the Central Railway on Sunday imposed a temporary ban on the sale of platform tickets at major stations to reduce festival congestion. In a release issued earlier in the day, CR said that the restriction on sale of platform tickets will be implemented at Chhatrapati Shivjai Maharaj Terminus, Dadar, Kurla LTT, Thane, Kalyan, Pune and Nagpur stations with immediate effect.
“The restrictions imposed to manage the anticipated crowding during the upcoming festive season of Diwali and Chhath Puja will be in place till November 8.
Bandra Terminus, also known as Vandre Terminus, is a railway terminus located in Bandra, Mumbai, serving regular trains to northern and western India. Established in the 1990s to ease congestion at the main Mumbai Central station, it is one of the five railway terminals in Greater Mumbai.
