Madurai train blaze: Case against tour operator for carrying cooking gas cylinder

Indian Railways to conduct statutory inquiry in Madurai Train fire incident, GRP files criminal case against tour operator


On Saturday, August 26, 2023, a tragic fire accident occurred in a tourist coach of a train that was travelling from Lucknow to Rameshwaram near Madurai railway station, leaving nine people dead and eight others injured. The coach was part of an Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) tour package that had arrived at Madurai from Lucknow and was later attached to the Punalur-Madurai Express.

According to the preliminary investigation, the cause of the fire was the illegal storage and use of a cooking gas cylinder in the coach by some passengers. The cylinder exploded when the train was stopped at the Madurai Yard junction around 5.15 am, resulting in a massive blaze that engulfed the coach.

The Southern Railway has announced that it will conduct a statutory inquiry into the incident under the Commissioner of Railway Safety for southern circle A M Chowdhary. Chowdhary has ruled out any conspiracy or sabotage behind the fire and said that it was a case of negligence and violation of rules by the passengers. He also said that he will submit his report to the Railway Board within a month after examining the evidence and recording the statements of the survivors and witnesses.

Meanwhile, the Government Railway Police (GRP) has registered a criminal case against the tour operator, M/s Shree Om Sai Tour and Travels, for causing death by negligence and endangering life or personal safety of others under sections 304A and 336 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The GRP has also booked six passengers who were allegedly involved in bringing the gas cylinder into the coach⁶. The GRP is probing whether the tour operator had any role in facilitating or allowing the passengers to carry the gas cylinder.

The bodies of the nine victims, who belonged to Uttar Pradesh, were handed over to their relatives after post-mortem examination at Madurai Government Rajaji Hospital. The injured passengers were also given medical treatment and discharged from the hospital. The Southern Railway has offered an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased person, Rs 1 lakh to each seriously injured person and Rs 50,000 to each person with minor injuries.

The Madurai train fire incident has raised serious questions about the safety and security of passengers travelling in tourist coaches rented by IRCTC. According to sources, there is no protocol or mechanism to inspect or monitor such coaches by the railways or IRCTC. The railways only facilitate travel by renting coaches and do not collect any charges for offering food or other services. The responsibility of providing amenities and ensuring safety lies with the tour operators who are supposed to follow the rules and regulations laid down by IRCTC.

However, it seems that there is a lack of awareness and compliance among both the tour operators and the passengers regarding these rules and regulations. For instance, one of the rules clearly states that no inflammable materials or explosives are allowed to be carried in trains. Another rule states that cooking is strictly prohibited inside coaches. Yet, these rules were blatantly violated by some passengers who sneaked in gas cylinders in the coach and used them for cooking.

The Madurai train fire incident has exposed the loopholes and gaps in the system that need to be addressed urgently. The railways and IRCTC should devise a proper mechanism to inspect and monitor tourist coaches before and during their journey. They should also ensure that the tour operators and passengers are aware of and follow the rules and regulations strictly. Moreover, they should take strict action against those who violate them. Only then can such tragic incidents be prevented in future.

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