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'Distressed by train accident': PM Modi's first reaction to Coromandel Express mishap
The accident happened around 7.20 pm near Bahanaga Bazar station when the train was on the way to Chennai Central station from Shalimar station near Kolkata.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said he has taken stock of the situation in Odisha's Balasore where an express train collided with a freight train leaving at least 30 dead and many injured. The prime minister said the rescue operations are underway at the site of the accident and all possible assistance is being to those affected by the mishap.
At least 30 people were killed and 179 hospitalised after the passenger train derailed and collided with a goods train. Balasore district officials, however, said the numbers could go up as around 50 people are feared dead in the accident.
A spokesperson for the Indian Railways said that about 10-12 coaches of the Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express derailed near Balasore and fell on the opposite track. After some time, another train from Yeswanthpur to Howrah dashed into those derailed coaches resulting in the derailment of its three to four coaches, the spokesperson added.
“Distressed by the train accident in Odisha. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to Railway Minister @AshwiniVaishnaw and took stock of the situation. Rescue ops are underway at the site of the mishap and all possible assistance is being given to those affected,” the prime minister said in a tweet.
Odisha official paints grim picture, rescue op on
President Droupadi Murmu expressed anguish over the loss of lives in the train accident.
She tweeted: “Deeply anguished to know about the loss of lives in an unfortunate rail accident in Balasore, Odisha. My heart goes out to the bereaved families. I pray for the success of rescue operations and quick recovery of the injured.”
Four units of the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), three units of NDRF and 60 ambulances were working to rescue the injured, officials said.
The Odisha government has issued helpline 06782-262286. The railway helplines are 033-26382217 (Howrah), 8972073925 (Kharagpur), 8249591559 (Balasore) and 044- 25330952 (Chennai).
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said she was personally monitoring the situation along with the chief secretary and other officials.
"We are coordinating with Odisha government and South Eastern Railways for our people's sake. Our emergency control room has been activated at once with numbers 033- 22143526/ 22535185. All out efforts for rescue, retrieval, aid and assistance initiated," she tweeted.
