New Railway Board chief says passenger safety is topmost priority

The Railway Ministry on Wednesday appointed Ashwani Lohani as the new Chairman of Railway Board after AK Mittal tendered his resignation.

New Delhi, Aug 24: New Railway Board Chairman Ashwani Lohani, who took charge today, said the safety of train passengers will be the topmost priority of the railways.

"Safety will be our topmost priority, of course. Cleanliness, improvement of stations, and ending corruption and VIP culture would be other areas of focus," Lohani told reporters.

He further said it was an "emotional moment for me".

"There are lot of expectations and the railways will work hard to improve," said Lohani, an officer of the railway mechanical service who had earlier served as the divisional regional manager in Delhi.

The Railway Ministry on Wednesday appointed Ashwani Lohani as the new Chairman of Railway Board after AK Mittal tendered his resignation following the derailment of Kaifiyat Express near Aurariya in Uttar Pradesh.

Lohani, an officer with Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers (IRSME), was Chairman-Managing Director (CMD) of Air India. He is considered as 'Midas' man as Lohani scripted success story of MP Tourism and was later drafted for pulling out beleaguered Air India from the red.

PTI