Odisha Train Accident: PM Modi Convenes High Level Review Meeting; To Visit Balasore, Cuttack

Officials in Bhubaneswar said 200 ambulances, 50 buses and 45 mobile health units, besides 1,200 personnel, are working at the accident site.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today convened a meeting to review the situation in the wake of the fatal triple train accident in Odisha's Balasore. According to the reports, PM Modi is monitoring the situation closely while Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishanw has already visited the accident site to take stock of the relief and rescue operations. Prime Minister's Office today informed that PM Narendra Modi will go to Odisha where he will first visit the site of the accident in Balasore and then the hospital in Cuttack where injured are being treated. The railways minister has already ordered a high-level probe into the accident that has claimed around 288 lives so far while over 900 are said to be injured. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik also visited the accident site to take stock of the situation. 

The accident took place around 7.20 pm yesterday when Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express derailed and fell on the adjacent track on which the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express was running. This led to the collision and derailment of the Coromandel Express which further hit a freight train on the third track.

Officials in Bhubaneswar said 200 ambulances, 50 buses and 45 mobile health units, besides 1,200 personnel, are working at the accident site. The rescue operations are still underway.

Odisha CM Patnaik has also declared one-day state mourning for today in the wake of the train accident. Indian Railways has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased, Rs 2 lakh for those grievously injured and Rs 50,000 for people with minor injuries. PM Narendra Modi also expressed his distress on 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).

Amitabh Sharma, Executive Director, Information Publication Railway Board, said that over 100 people have claimed ex-gratia payments so far. "Counters for the same have been set up at three places-Balasore, Soro and Bahanaga Bazar...As of now 48 trains cancelled, 39 diverted and 10 short-terminated," he said. 

The Odisha government issued helpline 06782-262286. The railway helplines are 033-26382217 (Howrah), 8972073925 (Kharagpur), 8249591559 (Balasore) and 044- 25330952 (Chennai).