Rescue work underway after the accident involving Coromandel Express, Bengaluru-Howrah Express and a goods train, in Balasore district of Odisha, on June 3, 2023. (PTI)
All three Coromandel Express accidents happened on Friday, all three trains were bound for Chennai and two of them happened in Odisha
Counting the horrific Odisha train accident on Friday night, the Coromandel Express has derailed three times so far – in 2002, 2009 and 2023. So far. All three accidents happened on Friday, all three trains were bound for Chennai and two of them happened in Odisha.
in 2002A train running between West Bengal and Tamil Nadu derailed near Nellore in Andhra Pradesh on March 15. At least eight coaches of the Chennai-bound train were damaged. Although no casualties have been reported, around 100 people have been injured. The poor condition of the main rail track at Nellore was attributed to the accident at that time.
in 2009At least 16 passengers were killed and around 200 were injured in the accident that took place on the evening of 13 February. A total of 13 bogies derailed while changing tracks in Odisha’s Jajpur district. The train was running at high speed and the engine overturned as it passed Jajpur Road Railway Station.
latest in Odisha accidentThe train derailed about 100 km from the site of the 2009 accident, this time involving two more trains and killing over 260 people. The accident took place near Bahnaga Bazar railway station when about 11 coaches and the engine overturned. Coromandel Express derailed. According to the latest railway bulletin released at around 1 pm on Saturday, at least 261 people have died.
The injured passengers were taken to hospitals in Gopalpur, Khantapara, Balasore, Bhadrak and Soro. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav and Railway Board Chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti both inspected the spot.
The Ministry of Railways ordered an inquiry headed by AM Choudhary, Commissioner Railway Safety, South East Circle.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik declared a day’s state mourning on Saturday in the wake of the deadly triple train accident.
Railways announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased, Rs 2 lakh for the seriously injured and Rs 50,000 for those with minor injuries. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed grief over the accident and announced an additional ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured from the PM’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF).
