Last Update: June 03, 2023, 06:20 AM IST
Rescue operations are underway after four coaches of the Coromandel Express derailed following a head-on collision with a goods train in Balasore district. (Image: PTI)
At least 207 people died and around 900 were injured in the horrific train accident in the state.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has ordered a day’s state mourning on June 3 in the wake of Friday’s tragic train accident in Balasore.
At least 233 people were killed and nearly 900 injured in the horrific train accident in the state, including the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express and a goods train.
Important Announcement: In the wake of the tragic train accident at Bahanaga, Hon’ble Chief Minister, Shri Naveen Patnaik has ordered one day state mourning. That’s why there will be no state festival on June 3 in the entire state. #Odisha #train accident
– I&PR Department, Odisha (@IPR_Odisha) June 2, 2023
Quoting the latest report from Odisha’s Special Relief Commissioner, Chief Secretary PK Jena said the death toll has now risen to 233.
“The death toll in the Balasore train accident has risen to 233,” Jena tweeted.
The accident took place around 7 pm on Friday near Bahanaga Bazar station in Balasore district, about 250 km south of Kolkata and 170 km north of Bhubaneswar.
Enroute Howrah, several coaches of the 12864 Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express derailed and fell on the adjacent tracks, an official said. These derailed coaches collided with 12841 Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express and its coaches also overturned, he said.
He said a goods train was also involved in the accident as some coaches of the Chennai-bound Coromandel Express collided with its coaches after the derailment. Railway spokesperson Amitabh Sharma told.
On Friday evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took stock of the situation and spoke to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav.
“Rescue operations are underway at the accident site and all possible assistance is being provided to the affected people,” he tweeted. Two lakh rupees to the next of kin of each of the deceased in the train accident in Odisha.
Ex-gratia amount of Rs. The next of kin of each deceased in the train accident in Odisha will be given Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF. The injured will be given Rs. 50,000: PM @narendramodi— PMO India (@PMOIndia) June 2, 2023
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav has ordered a high-level inquiry to find out the root cause of the triple train accident in Odisha.
After the derailment of the Coromandel Express, Minister Vaishnav stressed on the importance of understanding why the incident happened.
I have ordered a high-level inquiry to find out why this accident happened… It is important to reach the root cause: Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav to ANI, on derailment of Coromandel Express in Odisha (File) pickup) pic.twitter.com/VqKJenCbjp
– ANI (@ANI) June 2, 2023
Expressing grief over the Odisha train derailment, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said he has directed AIIMS Bhubaneswar to provide all possible help to those injured in the accident.
He tweeted, “Along with the arrangement of Emergency, ICU and OT beds in AIIMS Bhubaneswar, all doctors, nurses and staff have been instructed to provide all possible help to the injured.”
(With PTI inputs)
