OPCC President demands resignation of Railway Minister over tunnel collapse

Das announced that a Congress fact-finding team will visit the site on Tuesday and submit a report on the incident.

He stated that the collapse had created a 30-meter-deep crater and questioned whether 30 to 40 workers were present at the site at the time of the incident.

He questioned whether it is true that 30 to 40 workers were present at the site, urging the Railway Department to clarify.

He raised concerns about the role of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, noting that the minister had previously taken credit for the tunnel project and should now be held accountable.

Das questioned why there was a lack of monitoring and supervision by the minister, pointing out that the minister had claimed the tunnel work would be completed without issues.

Das further asked whether soil testing was conducted, and if so, why the collapse occurred. He also sought clarification on how many times the minister inspected the tunnel project.

 He highlighted that since Ashwini Vaishnaw became Railway Minister, frequent railway accidents and tunnel collapses have led to numerous deaths and injuries.

On the Railway Department’s clarification, Das remarked that if the soil was weak, the department must have known in advance how much rainfall or water could cause a collapse.

He questioned why no pre-emptive measures were taken. Expressing concern, he added that if such an incident occurred before the monsoon, the situation could worsen during the monsoon season.