Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a visit to the train accident site in Balasore, Odisha, expressing his condolences and assuring the nation that those responsible for the tragedy would face severe punishment. The incident resulted in the loss of at least 288 lives and left around 800 injured, making it the deadliest rail accident in India in over a decade.
Arriving in an Air Force chopper near the Bahanaga Bazar Station, the Prime Minister inspected the site alongside Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. He also visited the Balasore District Hospital to meet with the survivors and personally assess the situation. During his visit, PM Modi had discussions with the Cabinet Secretary and Health Minister, emphasizing the need to provide all necessary assistance to the injured and their families.
The Prime Minister convened a meeting earlier in the day to review the situation and take stock of the ongoing efforts to address the aftermath of the accident. PM Modi stressed the importance of ensuring that the affected families do not face any inconveniences and receive the necessary support.
The collision occurred when one of the train coaches derailed, leading to a collision between the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express, and a goods train. The impact was so severe that carriages were lifted into the air, twisted, and violently thrown off the tracks. Tragically, one carriage ended up overturned, resulting in the crushing of the passenger section. The incident affected over 3,400 passengers traveling in the two trains involved.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also visited the state to assess the situation and meet with the injured individuals in hospitals. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik reviewed the situation with Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw during his visit to Balasore.
The rescue operation has been completed, and restoration work is now underway, according to railways spokesperson Amitabh Sharma. The Railways Ministry has launched a high-level probe to investigate the causes of the accident. Compensation has been announced for the affected families, with ₹10 lakh provided to the families of the deceased and ₹2 lakh for the seriously injured. Prime Minister Modi has also announced a compensation of ₹2 lakh for the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF).
