Passenger trains resume services on restored tracks after Odisha three-way collision

Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that both the up and down lines were tested before services resumed.

More than 51 hours after the triple train collision in Odisha’s Balasore, passenger trains resumed operations on the repaired tracks, after restoration works were undertaken on a war footing, on Monday. Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw waved at passengers and crew and prayed for their safe journey, as services on the up and down lines were kick-started late Sunday.

A train moves past damaged coaches, after the tracks were restored, at the site of a train collision.(REUTERS)

Read: Odisha train accident: Rail minister Vaishnaw says ‘root cause’ identified

Speaking to news agency ANI, Vaishnaw said the reconstruction efforts began soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi ordered for the same.

Read: Odisha train crash: ‘Signal was given and taken off’; toll nears 300. Top points

"PM Modi gave his advice and instructions on the restoration of the railway tracks. The whole team (involved in the restoration work) laboured diligently and systematically to fix the damaged rails for the resumption of services," he said.

The union minister added that both the lines were tested before services resumed. Earlier, Vaishnaw revealed that the accident had happened due to a "change in electronic interlocking".

Recap of Odisha train crash

Meanwhile, Odisha chief secretary Pradeep Jena clarified that the death toll from one of the worst train accidents in India’s recent history had been revised from 288 to 275, after it was found that some bodies had been counted twice.

"Of the 1,175 injured, 793 were discharged after treatment," he added.

The triple train accident involved the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Coromandel Express and a goods train on three separate tracks at Bahanaga Bazar station in the Balasore district.

Over 1,000 workers were engaged in repairing the damaged tracks, the ministry stated,