At train accident site, Mamata Banerjee announces ₹5 lakh ex gratia

She said that the govt of Bengal will provide ₹5 lakhs each to the people of the state & “cooperate with the Odisha govt until the work is complete”.

Published on: Jun 3, 2023, 16:13:22 IST

By HT News Desk

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday visited Bahanaga Bazar in Odisha's Balasore district three-way rail accident that took place on Friday evening involving the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, Coromandel Express and a goods train and took stock of the situation.

Addressing the media at the accident site, Banerjee said the Bengal government will provide ₹5 lakh each for the next of kin of those killed in the accident and “cooperate with the railways and the Odisha government until the work is completed". An amount of ₹1 lakh has been announced for the injured and ₹50,000 each will be given to the victims of the state.

Banerjee said there was no anti-collision device installed on the train and had the device been there, the accident could be avoided.

“Coromandel is one of the best express trains. I was the railway minister thrice. From what I saw, this is the biggest railway accident of the 21st century," she said.

“Such cases are handed over to railway's safety commission and they investigate and give a report...There was no anti-collision device on the train, as far as I know. Had the device been on the train, this would not have happened...The dead can't be brought back but now our work is rescue operation & restoration of normalcy,” Banerjee.

READ |Coromandel Express went on wrong track minutes before accident, say officials

Mamata also said she has sent 40 ambulances on Friday and 70 on Saturday. “40 of our doctors have reached here and they are working,” she added.

Train accident in Balasore

The train crash which occurred near the Bahanaga Baazar station in Balasore district killed more than 250 people and injured around 900.

Leaders from across the world, including Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, have expressed their deepest condolences to the families and the government for the triple train crash that took place in Odisha.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
HT News Desk
Follow the latest breaking news, major developments and agenda-setting stories from India and around the world with the newsdesk at Hindustan Times. Operating round the clock, the desk brings together experienced editors, reporters and correspondents to deliver fast, accurate and contextual reporting across subjects that influence public policy, governance, business, society and international affairs. The HT News Desk covers politics, elections, government policies, the economy, business and markets, science and technology, the environment, law and order, infrastructure, education, climate issues and geopolitics, while closely tracking developments across states, institutions and global capitals. The team also leads coverage of major breaking news events, policy announcements, court proceedings, natural disasters, public emergencies and significant international developments. Reports published by the newsdesk are based on information gathered from reporters on the ground, official statements, government agencies, court records, regulatory filings, recognised institutions and other authoritative sources. Stories undergo editorial scrutiny and verification processes to ensure accuracy, fairness and relevance, and are updated as events evolve and additional information becomes available. Whether covering a key political decision in New Delhi, an economic policy shift affecting millions, a landmark court ruling or a major global event, the HT News Desk aims to provide readers with reliable, fact-based journalism that delivers not only the latest developments but also the context and analysis needed to understand their wider implications.Read More

West Bengal

Follow India news real-time updates and the latest news covered on Hindustan Times, featuring today's critical updates on Sonam Wangchuk LIVE and more across India.