Odisha train accident: “Our responsibility is not over yet,” says Ashwini Vaishnaw

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said, "Our goal is to make sure missing persons' family members can find them as soon as possible...our responsibility is not over yet."

Balasore: Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday said that their goal is to make missing persons’ family members can find them as soon as possible after the horrific triple train accident that took place in Odisha‘s Balasore on Friday, June 2.

“Our goal is to make sure missing persons’ family members can find them as soon as possible…our responsibility is not over yet,” Vaishnaw told reporters on Sunday night.

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

Speaking to ANI on Sunday, the Railway minister said work on the 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 Railway minister added both the lines were reconstructed and tested before services resumed, 51 hours after the chilling derailment incident.

Earlier, Vaishnaw said the accident occurred due to a “change in electronic interlocking”.

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

Odisha Chief Secy Pradeep Jena on Sunday clarified that the death toll from the horrific accident had been revised from 288 to 275 after it was determined that some bodies had been counted twice.

Over 1000 workers were pressed into service for restoration of the damaged tracks, the ministry stated, adding that more than 7 Poclain Machines, two Accident Relief Trains and 3-4 Railway and Road Cranes are deployed for the purpose as well.