At least 238 persons were feared dead and more than 900 injured in a major rail accident involving two express trains and a goods train in Balasore district of Odisha on Friday evening.
The accident took place at around 7 p.m. when two coaches of 12864 (SMVB-HWH) Yashwantpur-Howrah Express derailed near Bahanaga Railway station in Balasore district. The derailed coaches tossed over to the adjoining track and hit the speeding 12841 Coromandel Express coming from the opposite direction. It led to derailment of about 17 bogies.
A railway official said that several coaches of 12864 Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express travelling to Howrah derailed at Bahanagabazar and fell on the up-line. “These derailed coaches collided with 12841 Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express and its coaches capsized too,” he said.
A goods train was also involved in the accident as the coaches of the Coromandel Express hit its wagons after getting derailed, the official said.
The rail accident is being described as one of the worst in recent times. In 2013, the Coramandel Express had met with an accident in Jajpur district of Odisha which is about 50 km away from the present accident site.
The State government has mobilised rescue teams from adjoining districts, while Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has solicited the help of the Air Force in the rescue operations.
Injured passengers were taken to the Hospitals of Gopalpur, Khantapara, Balasore, Bhadrak and Soro.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik declared one-day State mourning on Saturday in view of the tragic rail accident.
The Odisha government has issued the helpline 06782-262286. The railway helplines are 033-26382217 (Howrah), 8972073925 (Kharagpur), 8249591559 (Balasore) and 044- 25330952 (Chennai).
Southern Railway has set up a round-the-clock helpline and control office at Chennai. A press release said, commuters and relatives could contact the helpline and control office at 044-25330952, 044-25330953, and 044-25354771.
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