Andhra Pradesh train accident highlights: CM urges PM, Railway Minister to inspect all rail lines in India

"It happened yesterday evening around 6:30 pm...My father was in the fourth coach. A loud noise was heard...A total of 60-70 family members (were travelling)…" Ranjan, one of the travellers told ANI.

Speaking about the train accident in Andhra Pradesh, JD(U) leader Kaushalendra umar said, "Of late, many train accidents are happening in the country. The government should spend the money allocated for Railways on the safety and maintenance of tracks and trains. Railways was the only ministry that used to have a separate Budget but now it has been merged with the Union Budget."

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to inspect all rail lines in the country. The Chief Minister made the appeal following a visit to the Vizianagaram government general hospital where the injured survivors are undergoing treatment in the wake of a train accident in Vizianagaram district. “I sincerely request Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to constitute a high level audit committee to thoroughly examine all these aspects, not just on this line but on all lines across the country,” said Reddy in a post on X.

“We have restored the upline & downline of the section. The first passenger train has already passed. We are focusing on restoring the middle line also. We expect that by tonight we will be restoring it...We have identified all the 13 casualties and ex gratia payment has already been done. All 13 are from Andhra Pradesh,” CPRO of East Coast Railway Biswajit Sahu told ANI.

A preliminary railway probe into the Sunday night accident in Andhra Pradesh has held the driver and the assistant driver of Rayagada Passenger train responsible for the collision as it passed two defective auto signals violating norms. Both crew members were killed in the accident.

Signed by seven experts, the preliminary report said they carefully examined the accident site, available evidence, statements of officials concerned, data logger report and the speedometer chart.

"A 140-ton crane, 8-10 portland machines and ARTs (accident relief trains) were used in the rescue operation. Besides, 700-800 workers (of Railways) were involved in the rescue operation," said Biswajit Sahoo, CPRO, East Coast Railway.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National General Secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak on Monday slammed the central government over train accidents happening in quick succession in the country, saying that it is the result of a failed system.

"Yet another rail tragedy. I express my deepest condolences to the families of those killed in the Andhra Pradesh train accident and pray for the speedy recovery of the injured," he said in the post.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy conducted an aerial survey at the train accident site at Kantakapalli, Vizianagaram district on Monday. Earlier, he met injured patients at the government hospital in Vizianagaram.

The Down line from Vishakhapatnam- Bhubaneshwar and Bhubaneswar to Visakhapatnam was restored at 14:26 and 14:36 respectively.

Andhra Pradesh train accident: Andhra Pradesh CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy visited the Vizianagaram government hospital and met the patients injured in Vizianagaram train derailment accident on Monday.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy will be directly visiting the Vizianagaram Government General Hospital on Monday where survivors of the train mishap are being treated, shelving his planned visit to the accident spot to avoid delaying track restoration work. The Chief Minister will call on the injured survivors of the accident which occurred on the Howrah-Chennai line on Sunday evening.

Congress leader and former Rail minister Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has alleged that anti-collision devices meant to prevent train accidents are being been used.

“In spite of hue and cry being made by this government and railways ministry across the nation that they are doing something new and innovative, within a span of 5 months only, 2 rail collisions took place in India, one in Balasore and one in Andhra Pradesh,” Chowdhury told ANI. "Meanwhile, one derailment in Buxar, Bihar also took the lives of people. These incidents have debunked the high promises made by the government."

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is demanding an immediate inquiry be held into the train derailment in Andhra Pradesh.

"Another disastrous rail collision, this time in Vizianagaram district in Andhra Pradesh, involving two passenger trains…" Banerjee wrote on X last night.

Biswajit Sahu, Chief Public Relations Officer of East Coast Railway, told ANI that the rescue operation is over and the focus has now shifted to track restoration work.

"The rescue operation is over now. We have arranged buses and trains for the stranded passengers. A total of 18 trains have been cancelled and 22 trains have been diverted. We are trying to clear the track by 4 pm today," Sahu said.

Expressing grief over the accident, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge criticised the Central government saying the enthusiasm shown in flagging off trains with fanfare should also be shown in action towards railway safety and the well-being of passengers.

“It seems that all the claims of safety by the Union government, post the Balasore train tragedy have evaporated in thin air,” he says.

Flagging “train accidents in quick succession”, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has urged the Centre to enhance safety measures.

“With a significant number of Indians relying on railways for their commute, it's alarming to witness such incidents in quick succession. It's imperative for the union government and the railways to urgently reevaluate and enhance train safety measures, ensuring the trust and safety of passengers is upheld,” he wrote on X.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, who has announced an ex gratia of ₹10 lakh to each of the kin of those killed and ₹2 lakh to the injured, will visit the accident site today.

In the wake of the train accident in Vizianagaram district, as many as 33 trains have been cancelled and six others have been rescheduled till now, reports ANI.

Toll in the Andhra Pradesh train accident has reached 14, news agency PTI reports quoting Vizianagaram Joint Collector Mayur Ashok.