Odisha Train Accident: One day state mourning in Odisha, inauguration ceremony of Goa-Mumbai Vande Bharat Express canceled

Three trains met with an accident in Balasore, Odisha. The death of 233 people has been confirmed in the gruesome train accident near Bahnaga railway station, while more than 900 injured passengers have been admitted to various hospitals. After the horrific train accident, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has announced one day state mourning today. At the same time, the inauguration ceremony of Goa-Mumbai Vande Bharat Express was cancelled.

A horrific train accident took place on Friday in Balasore district of Odisha. Here, three trains collided with each other near Bahnaga railway station. Odisha Chief Secretary Pradeep Jena said that 233 people have died in the train accident and more than 900 passengers have been injured. At present, relief work is going on at the spot. The number of dead may increase now. On the other hand, after the horrific train accident, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has announced one day state mourning today.

Several coaches of the Howrah-Bengaluru Express derailed at around 7 pm on Friday and fell onto the adjacent track at Bahangabazar in Odisha, officials said. Meanwhile, 12841 Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express came on that track and collided with the overturned coaches. Due to this, several coaches of Coromandel derailed and collided with a goods train passing on the adjacent track. The local people who reached the spot started evacuating the passengers. Later NDRF, State Government and Air Force started rescue and relief operations.

Seven coaches overturned, 15 derailed

In the accident, seven coaches of Coromandel Express overturned, four coaches went outside the rail boundary. According to the locals, a total of 15 coaches have derailed.

Announced compensation

At the same time, after the accident, the Railway Ministry has announced compensation. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased, Rs 2 lakh to the seriously injured and Rs 50,000 to those with minor injuries.

PM Modi expressed grief

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the train accident in Odisha’s Balasore district. He spoke to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav and took stock of the situation. PM Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of those killed in the train accident and Rs 50,000 to the injured from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF).

So many people injured

Odisha Chief Secretary said that 132 injured in the Coromandel Express train accident were shifted to Soro CHC, Gopalpur CHC and Khantapada PHC. On the other hand, the MD of Odisha State Disaster Management Authority said that 47 injured have been brought to the Medical College in Balasore.

The Office of the Special Relief Commissioner informed that the Balasore Collector has also been informed to reach the spot to make all necessary arrangements and also inform the SRC if any additional help is required from the state level.

Route of many trains changed

Several trains were canceled while some were diverted in the affected section of the train derailment in Odisha’s Balasore district.

Mamta Banerjee gave instructions

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s statement has come on the Odisha train accident. He said it was sad to know that the Shalimar-Coromandel Express carrying passengers from West Bengal collided with a goods train near Balasore this evening and some of our (Bengal) outgoing passengers were seriously injured. Coordinating with Government of Odisha and South Eastern Railway for the betterment. Our emergency control room has been activated immediately with numbers 033- 22143526/22535185. All efforts have been initiated for rescue, assistance.

We are sending a team of 5-6 members to the spot to cooperate with Odisha Government and Railway authorities and assist in rescue operations. I am personally monitoring the situation continuously along with the Chief Secretary and other senior officers.

In the accident, the news of many passengers being trapped in the overturned coaches of the train is coming to the fore. At the same time, the railway administration has stopped all the trains on this route. Along with this, the administration has issued emergency control room number 6782262286 regarding this accident.

Chief Minister of Odisha gave instructions

RailMadad has issued a temporary helpline number 044- 2535 4771 for inquiries regarding the derailment of Coromandel Express. Odisha Chief Minister directed Minister of State Pramila Mallick and Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) to rush to the accident site immediately. The minister and SRC are on their way to the spot.

Sealdah-Puri Duronto Express cancelled.

Eastern Railway in its statement said that in view of the derailment of Coromandel Express, the Sealdah-Puri Duronto Express scheduled to leave Sealdah at 8 pm on June 2 has been cancelled.

Priority is to save the injured

Odisha Chief Secretary Pradeep Jena said that NDRF and SDRF teams are on the spot. 600-700 rescue forces are working there. The rescue operation will go on throughout the night. Our priority is to rescue the injured and get them treated.

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav will visit the accident site in Odisha’s Balasore where hundreds are feared to be injured after three trains collided.

The injured in the train accident were brought to the hospital in Balasore.

Help desk set up at Tamil Nadu’s Chennai railway station after the Howrah-Chennai-bound Coromandel Express train derailed in Odisha’s Balasore.

Inauguration ceremony of Goa-Mumbai Vande Bharat Express canceled

The inauguration ceremony of the Goa-Mumbai Vande Bharat Express scheduled for today has been canceled after the Odisha train accident. Konkan Railway officials on Friday said the inaugural function of the Goa-Mumbai Vande Bharat Express at Madgaon station has been canceled in view of the train accident in Odisha. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was to flag off the Goa-Mumbai Vande Bharat Express through video conference on Saturday morning and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav was to be present at Madgaon station for the ceremony. But Vaishnav is going to Odisha to take stock of the train accident.

All trains from Bengal to South India canceled

It has been informed by the Railway Department that after this accident all the trains going from West Bengal to South India have been cancelled.

Officials in Bhubaneswar said that 115 ambulances, 50 buses, 45 mobile health units along with 1200 personnel have been deployed for relief and rescue operations. More than two thousand people gathered outside Balasore Medical College to help the injured. A large number of people are also donating blood for the injured. Doctors said that more than 30 injured have undergone surgery in the Medical College.

TMC demands resignation of Railway Minister

The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal has demanded the resignation of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav over the gruesome train accident in neighboring Odisha. TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee alleged that instead of taking proper measures to prevent train accidents, the central government was spending crores of rupees on software to spy on opposition leaders. He said that the central government is talking about Vande Bharat trains and newly built railway stations to gain political support by misleading the public, but the truth is that the government is neglecting the safety measures of the trains.

TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee said in a Facebook post that our thoughts are with the families of the victims and we wish the injured a speedy recovery. He further wrote, the Railway Minister should now resign from the post after listening to the voice of conscience.

Biggest accident after 2016

142 people died in Kanpur: This is the biggest accident in seven years. On November 21, 2016, 142 people were killed in a train accident 100 km from Kanpur city in UP, while more than 200 people were injured. Then 14 coaches of the Patna-Indore Express derailed at Pukhrayan.

Security meeting was held a day before

A day before, the Ministry of Railways had deliberated on security at the Manekshaw Center in Delhi. Emphasis was laid on railway safety and new technologies in the camp. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav was also involved in this.

People standing in line for blood donation

As soon as the local people got information about the accident, they reached the hospital to donate blood. There were long lines for donating blood till late night. Rupam Banerjee, a passenger said, after the accident the local villagers were the first to arrive and started helping the passengers. He took people out. Found the goods and brought them and also gave them water.

Courtesy: Amar Ujala

Note: This news piece was originally published in amarujala.com and used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes exclusively for Human Rights