Andhra Chief Minister to visit train accident site today

Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], October 30 (ANI): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy will visit the train accident site at Kantakapalli in Andhra Pradesh’s Vizianagaram district to take stock of the situation.

The Chief Minister is also scheduled to visit the injured persons in the train accident who are undergoing treatment in hospitals.

“The Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy will visit the train accident area at Kantakapalli in Vizianagaram district today. The Chief Minister will also visit the injured persons who are undergoing treatment in the hospitals. Officials are making the arrangements,” the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister’s Office tweeted.

At least 13 people died and several were injured when coaches derailed after the Visakhapatnam-Ragada passenger train hit a Visakhapatnam-Ragada train travelling on the same route in Andhra Pradesh’s Vizianagaram district on Sunday evening. The Divisional Railway Manager said that 3 coaches were involved in the accident.

As many as 33 trains have been cancelled and six others rescheduled till now after the mishap, East Coast Railway officials informed on Monday.

Earlier on Sunday, Andhra Pradesh State Education Minister Botsa Satyanarayana said that Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed “shock” over the train mishap and “instructed the officials to carry out relief operations”.

“On receiving information of the derailment of four bogies of the Rayagada bound passenger train near Vizianagaram, the Chief Minister instructed medical and health, revenue, police and other department officials to coordinate and carry out relief operations immediately,” the state education minister told reporters on Sunday late evening.

“CM Reddy also asked them to report the developments from time to time,” the minister added.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi expressed his condolences to the families of the injured and requested Congress workers to extend assistance to the administration in relief and rescue work.

“Anguished by the news of several deaths and injuries in the train accident in Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh, yesterday. I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families and hope for the speedy recovery of all those who are injured. I request Congress workers of the region to provide all possible assistance to the administration in relief and rescue work,” Rahul Gandhi posted.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal expressed condolences to the next of kin of the deceased who lost their lives in Andhra train collision in Vizianagaram district on Sunday evening.

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee slammed Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw after the Andhra train mishap, asking, “When will the railways come out of the slumber?”

“Another disastrous rail collision, this time in Vizianagaram district in Andhra Pradesh, involving two passenger trains, and causing until now at least 8 deaths and injury of at least 25 more,” Mamata Banerjee posted on X in a series of tweets.

“Frontal collisions between trains, derailment of compartments, helpless passengers trapped in coaches and succumbing to fate: this is becoming a most unfortunate repetitive trope!!,” the West Bengal Chief Ministeradded.