Balasore, TNI Bureau: In a tragic incident that took place on Friday evening, the Coromandel Express, en route from Shalimar station near Kolkata to Chennai Central station, derailed in Odisha’s Balasore district. Over 300 individuals have been reported injured, with approximately 50 feared dead, as several coaches of the train derailed and collided head-on with another train on a separate track. The news has elicited expressions of grief from Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav, both of whom have pledged their commitment to conducting rescue operations. They are scheduled to arrive at the site tomorrow, June 3rd.
The accident occurred near Bahanaga Bazar station around 7.20 pm. Presently, 132 injured individuals have been admitted to Soro, Gopalpur, and Khantapada health centers, while 47 others have been taken to the Balasore Medical College and Hospital, according to Odisha’s Chief Secretary Pradeep Jena. Sadly, officials in Balasore district have reported that around 50 individuals are feared to have lost their lives in the tragic incident.
With rescue operations underway, reports indicate several passengers are trapped inside the train coaches, around 100 Ambulances and 50 Buses, 3 NDRF teams, 4 ODRAF Teams, 30 Fire Services teams have been pressed into service. Minister Ashwini Vaishanav, who will be visiting the accident site tomorrow, has made an announcement on Twitter regarding the compensation for the victims of the tragic train accident in Odisha. In his tweet, he stated that an ex-gratia amount will be provided to those affected: ₹10 lakh in the event of death, ₹2 lakh for grievous injuries, and ₹50,000 for minor injuries.
Meanwhile, unofficial sources have suggested that the mishap involved the Howrah-Chennai Coromandel Express and the Yeshwantpur-Howrah Express, two passenger trains. There are indications that the accident may have been caused by a signal overshooting, and it has been reported that the Yeshwantpur-Howrah Express had already derailed prior to the collision. However, official details from the Indian Railways regarding casualties are awaited.
Confirming the details, Railway Ministry spokesperson Amitabh Sharma informed NDTV that the Coromandel Express, traveling from Kolkata to Chennai, collided with the derailed coaches of the other train, which was en route from Bengaluru to Kolkata.