BY DEBASHREE CHAKRABORTY
KOLKATA, 3 JUNE 2023:
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi visited Odisha and reviewed the rescue and relief efforts underway after the tragic train accident in Balasore and described it as a ‘painful incident’ . The PM visited the railway accident site and the hospital where the injured are undertaking treatment.
Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and education minister Dharmendra Pradahan accompanied him. More than 3,400 passengers have been travelling in the two passenger trains – Bengaluru- Howrah Superfast Express,Shalimar – Chennai Central Coromandel Express. Rescue operations are still on.
PM Narendra Modi was set to flag off the Mumbai- Goa Vande Bharat Express today, but the event has been postponed after the railway mishap in Odisha yesterday, said Konkan Railway officials.
Few patients and their families from Bangladesh were also travelling in the trains going for treatments in Vellore and Chennai. The Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata has also sought a passenger list from Indian Railways.
Two hundred and eighty eight passengers have been killed ( till the time of reporting) so far in the three train ( two passenger and one freight) collisions in Odisha, about 170 kilometres away from capital Bhubaneswar , and still many passengers are missing. It is feared that the death toll will further rise.
Mr. Modi said that people from various states who were travelling in the trains have been impacted by this monumental tragedy. While talking about the tragic loss of lives, the Prime Minister said that no stone will be left unturned to provide all possible medical help to those injured. He said that the government stands with the bereaved family members who have lost their loved ones.
The Prime Minister said that instructions have been given to ensure proper and speedy investigation of the tragedy, and to take prompt and stringent action against those found guilty.
He commended the efforts of the Odisha government, local administration and of the local people, especially youth, who worked through the night to assist ongoing efforts. He also lauded the local citizens who turned up in large numbers for blood donation, to help those injured. He said that Railways is working to provide rescue and relief, as well as to ensure quick restoration of rail tracks. Interacting with the local authorities, personnel from the disaster relief forces and railways officials, the Prime Minister emphasised the ‘whole of government’ approach to mitigate the tragedy.
The Prime Minister had earlier in the day chaired a high level meeting in New Delhi to take stock of the situation in the wake of the train mishap in Odisha.
The Prime Minister’s Office tweeted:
“PM Narendra Modi chaired a meeting to take stock of the situation in the wake of the train mishap in Odisha. Aspects relating to rescue, relief and medical attention to those affected were discussed in the review meeting.”
“PM Narendra Modi is leaving for Odisha where he will review the situation in the wake of the train mishap.”
Yesterday’s train accident at Balasore is a big blow to India’s ambitious future plans to leapfrog into semi and high speed railway technology in the coming years. Due to long delays still the dedicated freight corridors in the country are not completed and freight trains run along with passenger trains in the country on the same old tracks.
Indian Railways has taken a project to run bullet trains from Ahmedabad to Mumbai by 2025. At present the speed of their highest speed trains in India is about 160 kilometres per hour, which includes the Vande Bharat Express. India is also planning to run trains with hydrogen fuel like in Europe in the coming days.
More than one thousand railway stations in the country will be renovated and already three stations have been developed into world class railway stations like airports.
But, the accident has raised some crucial issues about railway safety in the country like track maintenance, modern signalling system, anti collision technology etc and has completely shaken the country in this time of grief.
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