Over 200 people died and 900 were injured when a passenger train collided with the derailed carriages of another railway in Odisha’s Balasore on Friday evening. Odisha Chief Secretary PK Jena informed that a third goods train was also involved in the train tragedy in Odisha.
The train tragedy in Odisha, one of the deadliest in recent Indian history, featured the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express, and a cargo train.
According to the most recent report, the death toll stands at 233, with around 900 persons injured in the catastrophe that occurred around 7 p.m. on Friday in Balasore district, some 250 kilometers south of Kolkata and 170 km north of Bhubaneswar.
Death toll rises to 233 in the Balasore Train Accident. @CMO_Odisha @IPR_Odisha @RailMinIndia @SecyChief @SRC_Odisha
— Pradeep Jena IAS (@PradeepJenaIAS) June 3, 2023
The rescue operations are on and all hospitals in the nearby districts have been put on alert. Three NDRF units, 4 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force units, over 15 fire rescue teams, 30 doctors, 200 police personnel, and 60 ambulances have been mobilized to the site, Odisha Chief Secretary Pradeep told NDTV.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has declared one-day state mourning in view of the horrific train crash.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw tweeted to say that the air force has been called in to help with rescue operations.
“Rushing to the site in Odisha. My prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured and condolences to the bereaved families. Rescue teams mobilized from Bhubaneswar and Kolkata. NDRF, State govt. teams and Airforce also mobilized. Will take all hands required for the rescue ops,” he tweeted.
Mr Vaishnaw has also announced a compensation of ₹ 10 lakh for those who have died, ₹ 2 lakh for those seriously injured, and ₹ 50,000 for those who sustained minor injuries in the accident.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi too expressed his distress over the accident and announced a compensation of ₹ 2 lakh for the family of the dead and ₹ 50,000 for the injured from the PM’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF).
An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased in the train mishap in Odisha. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) June 2, 2023
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee stated that she is personally monitoring the situation with the Chief Secretary and other senior personnel.
So far, 18 long-distance trains have been canceled as a result of the accident, which occurred on the Howrah-Chennai main line of the South Eastern Railway’s Kharagpur division.
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