Jalpaiguri, Nov. 5: Divisional commisioner Balbir Ram has submitted the inquiry report of the ropeway accident in Darjeeling on October 20. The accident had left four people dead and many others injured.

The state government had formed a seven-member inquiry committee with the divisional commissioner as its chairman. The report details the cause of the accident, the effects and the role of the administration in carrying out rescue operations and taking remedial steps.

Terming the report “confidential”, the commissioner said: “ There must have been some negligence, otherwise there would have been no inquiry.”

The team, led by Ram, comprised superintending engineers from the PWD department, officials of the forest department and ropeway experts.

According to administrative sources, the team members have found that there has been gross negligence on the part of the company in undertaking regular maintenance of the ropeway. “Details have been provided regarding the cause of the accident. The engineers and officials investigated the technical aspects and submitted their reports,” a source said.

The team members have vouched for the fact that the district administration had worked efficiently and competently in recovering the victims, arranging for treatment and even providing them with transport.

The Darjeeling ropeway is currently out of operation, due to ongoing investigations.

and plans for new ones at Digha and Buxadooar being postponed, the report is likely to be the basis for mahor decisions to be taken by the administration.