Nation stands with families who lost loved ones in Balasore rail accident: Anurag Thakur

New Delhi [India], June 5 (ANI): Days after the Odisha triple train tragedy, Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Monday expressed grief over those who lost their lives and lauded the work done by the entire resuce team present at the accident site.

The triple train accident involved the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Coromandel Express and a goods train on three separate tracks at Bahanaga Bazar station in the Balasore district.

The death toll from the accident was revised from 288 to 275, after it was determined that some bodies had been counted twice.

“The nation stands with the families who lost loved ones in the Balasore rail accident. It is time to join hands, stay together, and pray for the swift recovery of injured. My salute to the entire rescue team, security personnel, railway minister Sh. Ashwini Vaishnaw ji, Indian Railways staff, and the Odisha government,” tweeted Thakur.

He added, “The railway ministry did not miss golden hours and swung into action under the supervision of the railway minister moments after the information. Indian Railways has restored both the tracks, within 51 hours movement has been normalised. Ashwini Vaishnaw Ji has been camping at the accident site to ensure turnaround in the quickest possible time, which has now happened. Jai Bharat Jai Jagannath.”

Meanwhile, Vaishnaw waved at the crew of a goods train and prayed for a safe journey, as services resumed following repair of the damaged tracks on both the up and down lines, 51 hours after the horrific triple train accident in Balasore left 275 dead and more than 1,000 injured.

Speaking to ANI on Sunday, the Railways minister said work on reconstruction of the damaged tracks started soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent out instructions to that effect.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave his advice and instructions on the restoration of the railway tracks. The whole team (involved in the restoration work) laboured diligently and systematically to fix the damaged rails for the resumption of services,” he said.

The Railways minister added both the lines were reconstructed and tested before services resumed, 51 hours after the chilling derailment incident.

“Services on both tracks have been restored. Nomal train services on both the lines have now been restored, 51 hours after the accident,” said Vaishnaw.

Over 1000 workers were pressed into service for restoration of the damaged tracks, the ministry stated, adding that more than seven Poclain Machines, two Accident Relief Trains and 3-4 Railway and Road Cranes are deployed for the purpose as well.