Photo courtesy: @asadh707|Twitter
Bahanaga Bazar: Several passengers are feared dead and the Balasore hospital has so far received over 300 injured, some in critical condition, in one of the worst train mishaps in recent times involving two passenger trains and one goods train around 7 pm here today. At the time of going to the press, officials feared the death toll to be above 50.
The two trains, Sahalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express (Train no 12841) travelling from Howrah to Chennai, and Train no 12864 SMVB-HWH Superfast Exp (Sir M. Visvesvaraya Terminal- Howrah) travelling from Yeshwanthpur to Howrah, derailed and hit a goods train at Bahanaga Bazar station in Balasore district of Odisha.
A Railway spokesperson said 10-12 coaches of the Coromandel Express train got derailed and encroached onto the opposite track, which led to the derailment of 3-4 coaches of the Bengaluru-Howrah Express. Several injured persons were hospitalized in the nearby hospital while minorly injured passengers are being shifted to the Balasore, Khantapara, Soro and Gopalpur Health units on priority.
Many passengers are still trapped in the overturned bogies of the train. Teams of the National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force comprising about 700 personnel are doing the rescue operation at the time of going to the press.
About 50 Ambulances are mobilised to the accident site and the Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) and his team are there directing ambulances and first aid. 50 doctors too have been mobilized from other districts. The Railway Ministry said immediately after the mishap, Self Propelled Accident Relief Medical Vans (SPARME), and Accident Relief Trains (ART) with medical equipment and doctors also rushed to the site from Kharagpur and Bhadrak. They were also ordered from Balasore and Santragachi.
Bahanaga Bazar railway station is a railway station on the Kharagpur–Puri line, part of the Howrah–Chennai main line under the Kharagpur railway division of the South Eastern Railway zone in Balasore district in Odisha. Several long-distance trains have been cancelled following the triple train crash.
The railway has set up the following helpline numbers:
- Chennai: 044- 25330952
- Shalimar: 9903370746
- Howrah: 033-26382217
- Balasore: 8249591559 & 7978418322
- Kharagpur: 8972073925
- Santragachi: 8109289460, 8340649469
- Bhadrak: 7894099579 & 9337116373
- Jaipur Keonihar Road: 9676974398
- Cuttack: 8455889917
- Bhubaneswar: 06742534027
- Khurda Road: 6370108046 & 06742492245
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and took stock of the situation. He announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund to the next of kin of all deceased, and Rs 50,000 to the injured. The Railway Minister announced a further Vaishnaw ex-gratia compensation of Rs 10 lakh in case of death, Rs 2 lakh towards grievous injuries, and Rs 50,000 for minor injuries.
In a tweet, Modi expressed deep grief over the loss of lives due to a train accident in Odisha. The Prime Minister said: “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.”
Vaishnaw too has rushed to the spot. In a tweet, President Droupadi Murmu stated she was 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,” she stated.
– global bihari bureau
