A 3-train crash killed 275 people on Friday - Here's everything that has happened since
275 people were killed and over 1100 were injured as three trains collided in Odisha's Balasore district. Restoration work of tracks has been completed.
PremiumThree trains collided in Odisha's Balasore district on Friday night, killing 275 people and injuring more than 1100 others. The restoration work of both the up line and down line tracks was completed on Sunday night and efforts are underway to reunite the victims and those who were killed in the accident with their families.
The Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express is believed to have moved into a loop line ahead of Bahanaga Bazar station in Balasore. It hit a stationary goods train at around 7 pm, with several coaches derailing and falling onto adjacent tracks. The Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express had then collided with some of the derailed bogies leading to a horrific pile-up.
Here are some of the highlights since the accident took place:
- Rescue operations were completed on Saturday night with the death toll eventually being placed at 275.
- The state government has announced two toll-free numbers – 18003450061/1929 – to help those looking for their missing relatives who were travelling in the ill-fated Coromandel Express on June 2.
- Around 170 bodies (out of 275) have been identified so far in Balasore and Bhubaneswar. Many of the deceased had been sent via ambulance to the capital city over the weekend as morgues faced a severe space crunch.
- Investigators are looking into possible human error, signal failure and other possible causes behind the three-train crash.
- The CBI is set to take over probe, with a recommendation being shared by the Railway Board on Sunday.
- Opposition leaders have however opposed the call for a CBI probe and have instead demanded the formation of a Special Investigation Team and the resignation of Vaishnaw to pave the way for an impartial inquiry.
- The Odisha government has said it will bear the transportation cost of bodies of the accident victims to different states.
- Several states have announced compensation for the victims and those injured or traumatised by the collision. “The Prime Minister's office announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh from PMNRF for the families of the deceased. Meanwhile Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the families of those deceased would receive a compensation amount of ₹10 lakh. Those with grievous injuries ₹2 lakh and those who suffered minor injuries ₹50,000.
- Services were affected by the crash, with dozens of trains being cancelled over the weekend as rescue and (later) restoration work continued. Indian Railways resumed running passenger trains on the tracks of the accident-affected route on Monday morning.
- Around 51 hours after the triple train crash and barely five hours after the damaged tracks were restored, a coal-laden goods train from Vizag port to Rourkela Steel Plant became the first to run on the route around 10.40 pm on Sunday night.
- The accident - considered to be one of the deadliest in Indian history - had prompted a flurry of condolence messages from around the globe.
- Britain’s King Charles III sent a condolence message to President Droupadi Murmu on Monday, expressing his profound shock and sadness over the deadly train accident in Balasore. He recalled his fond memories of a visit to Odisha 43 years ago.
(With inputs from agencies)
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