Mumbai to pay homage to 7/11 victims on 1st annv

Mumbai, July 10: Fourteen years back on March 12, 1993, thecountry's financial capital was shaken by twelve bomb blasts that left257 dead.

Thirteen years later, on July 11 last year, a series of sevenblasts in quick succession in Mumbai's life-line, the local suburbantrains, revisited the event.

As Mumbai prepares to observe the first anniversay of the 7/11suburban train blasts, which killed 187 people and left over 890injured, two survivors still remain in coma in city's Hinduja andJaslok hospitals.

To mark the anniversary, several programmes to pay homage to the blast victims are being organised across the city.

Western Railway will re-run the local train, attached with therefurbished coach, which had got damaged due to the blast impact, fromthe Churchgate station tomorrow at the same time when the blastoccurred last year.

Former Deputy Prime Minister and senior BJP leader L K Advani isalso arriving in the city tomorrow to pay homage to the blast victims.

According to former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya, who is endeavouring to ensurejustice for survivors and kin of the blast victims, despite an yearhaving elapsed, the Railways have paid financial compensation to 1054victims/families, while the state government has attended to only 828victims/families.

''There is a total lack of coordination between the Railways andthe State Government because of which the kin of victims are being madeto run from pillar to post, especially to meet the medical expenseswhich the government had promised to pay,'' says Somaiya.

According to Somaiya, the government has retracted from itspromise of providing hearing aids and artificial limbs to those injuredin the blasts.

''The most unfortunate part is that various departments providevarious figures on the total number of victims. While, Mumbai Policehas prepared a list of 1077 affected people, the Railways lists 1082persons, while the state government's rehabilitation department has putthe figure at 828,'' Somaiya says.

Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition L K Advani is visiting thecity tomorrow. He will arrive at Bhayendar railway station in Thanedistrict. After addressing a meeting, he is scheduled to visit theresidence of Chirag Chavan, a 21-year-old chartered accountancy studentwho was severely injured in the blasts.

Later, a meeting of the injured blast victims has been organised at Malad here which will be addressed by Mr Advani.

UNI