RECENTLY a friend told me that now when our railway system has improved with trains running on time, we should travel by train. On his insistence I agreed to do so. However, a series of accidents in the last few years, including the one that happened recently, have diminished the meaning of his words `everything is fine`An order for a free and fair inquiry into every incident is a matter of usual practice and generally blamed on human error.

Many casualties have occurred just because of the unguarded level-crossings.

No satisfactory steps are taken to minimise suchhorrendousevents.

All this is happening because of the non-availability of a full-time railways minister, with the present one embroiled in politics all the time defending the party leader in the panama case, though his first duty is improving the railways.

The prime minister should appoint a person who should give full time to improve the railways.

Sarang Kolachi Hyderabad