Friday, March 31 2006 12:20 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The Ministry of Railways has received a proposal to make the Commission of Railway Safety an autonomous body on the lines of the Election Commission or Union Public Service Commission.

Top level Ministry sources told sources the proposal was aimed at making the Commission function effectively with greater powers and independence and to enhance its confidence and credibility by dispelling the notion that it is influenced by the Ministry.

The move assumes significance in the backdrop of the controversy arising out of two contradictory reports on the Sabarmati Express fire at Godhra in 2002 which killed 59people and resulted in large scale riots in Gujarat.

While the Railway Ministry-appointed Justice U C Banerjee Committee report said the fire in the S-6 coach of the train was 'accidental and not 'deliberate, the Justice G T Nanavati and K G Shah Commission appointed by the state government has contested this finding.

The new proposal is based on recommendations by the Parliamentary Committee on Railways which also wanted that it should be expedited with a fixed timeframe and include the aspect of comprehensive cadre review so that impartiality and independence of the Commssion is ensured.

The Committee, in its 98th report presented to Parliament reiterated that the Centre should bring in a comprehensive law to improve the functioning of the Commission in public interest and suggested that the proposed Act should be finalised in a time-bound manner.