New Delhi, June 03 Prime Minister will be visiting the Odisha's Balasore train accident site and will also visit the hospital in Cuttack.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday conducted a review meeting of the Odisha train tragedy that claimed the lives of 238 people, and is scheduled to visit the accident site later in the day.
During the meeting, he was given a presentation about the occurrence of the accident on Friday night, informed sources said.
The meeting was also attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, as well as senior officials of the Railway Ministry, PMO and NDRF.
The death toll in the tragic train derailment in Odisha’s Balasore district has increased to 238, with at least 900 people injured, the South Eastern Railway said on Saturday.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday morning visited the accident site and announced a detailed high-level inquiry will be conducted and an independent inquiry by the rail safety commissioner.
On Friday evening, 17 coaches of the Coromandel Express and SMVT-Howrah Super Fast Express derailed, leading to one of the worst railway accidents in the country in the last 15 years.
In a bulletin, the SE Railway said: “Train number 12841 Shalimar-Chennai, Coromandal Express and Train number 12864 Sir M Visvesvaraya-Howrah Superfast Express got derailed near Bahanaga Bazar Railway station at around 6.55 p.m. on June 2.
“Accident Relief trains with medical equipment, doctors and paramedics have rushed to the site from Kharagpur and Bhadrak,” it said.
“As per the information received till now, there are 238 casualties. Around 650 injured passengers have been taken to the Hospitals of Gopalpur, Khantapara, Balasore, Bhadrak and Soro,” the SE Railway said.
It also said that Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has reached the spot and is supervising the rescue operation.
Speaking to media at the accident site, Vaishnaw said: “Our focus is on rescue and relief operations. Restoration will begin after clearance from district administration.”
He said: “A detailed high-level inquiry will be conducted and the rail safety commissioner will also do an independent inquiry.”
According to railways, Coromandel Express was headed towards Chennai, while Sir M Visvesvaraya-Howrah Superfast Express was coming towards Howrah with 1,000 passengers, when this accident took place on Friday evening.
