The Indian Railways has expedited the restoration work at the Balasore train accident site in Odisha in which at least 288 people were killed and around 1,175 were injured. Of the injured, 793 were discharged while 382 are undergoing treatment. Of those receiving treatment, two are said to be critical. The two express trains were carrying more than 2,200 passengers with reserved tickets. The railway officials and workers have been carrying out the restoration work around the clock. The latest visuals from the accident site showed that the debris has been cleared from the route and track laying work is underway.


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Normal Traffic By June 7


According to reports, while the track is expected to be repaired by June 5, normal traffic will be completely restored by June 7. Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnav took stock of the restoration work at the site. More than one thousand labourers worked overnight at the Balasore site to remove the debris and 7 Poclain Machines, 2 Accident Relief Trains, and 3-4 Railway and Road Cranes, and 5 JCBs were deployed at the site. 



"Capsized bogies of express trains have been removed...Two bogies of goods train also have been removed...Work of connecting track is going on from one side," said Aditya Kumar Chaudhary, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO), South Eastern Railway.


Indian Railways' restoration trains carrying new track sleepers, track rails and other machinery have already been stationed at the site. Efforts are being made to normalize train services as soon as possible.



Balasore Train Accident Reason


According to reports, the 12841 Coromandel Express while passing through the Up main line shifted to a loop line due to a signal issue and collided with a stationary goods train in a loop line at Bahanaga Bazar station. A loop line is a railway track used to divert or give a pass to another train. The impact of the collision was such that 21 coaches of the train were derailed, with three coaches falling on a neighbouring track, through which the 12864 Bengaluru-Howrah Express was passing in the opposite direction. The Bengaluru-Howrah train collided with the three fallen coaches of the Coromandel Express and its rearmost two coaches derailed. According to the preliminary investigation report, a signal was given to Coromandel Express to enter the main line but it was taken off and the train entered the loop line and thus collided into the goods train parked there.


90 Trains Cancelled; 46 Diverted


Meanwhile, around 90 trains have been cancelled and at least 46 were diverted and 11 short-terminated due to the accident. The South Eastern Railway has cancelled trains such as the Chennai-Howrah Mail, the Darbhanga-Kanniyakumari Expres, the Kamakhya-LTT Express and the Patna-Puri Special train. The Southern Railway cancelled trains such as the Mangalore-Santragachi Vivek Superfast Express, Dr MGR Chennai Central-Shalimar Coromandel Express, Dr MGR Chennai Central-Santragachi AC Superfast train, Rangapara North-Erode Superfast Special, the Guwahati-Sri M.Visveswaraya Bengaluru Tri Weekly Superfast Express, and Kamakhya-Sir M.Visveswaraya Bengaluru AC Superfast Express. 


Compensation Announced


The railways announced an ex-gratia relief of Rs 10 lakh to the next of kin of those who died, Rs 2 lakh to the grievously injured and Rs 50,000 for passengers with simple injury. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also announced additional ex-gratia compensation. "An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased in the train mishap in Odisha. The injured would be given Rs 50,000," Modi tweeted.