Bhubaneswar: At least 11 died and over 50 were injured in the collision between two trains between Alamanda and Kantakapalli stations on Andhra Pradesh-Odisha border on Sunday, East Coast Railway (ECoR) CPRO Biswajit Sahu informed on Monday.
Vizianagaram SP, Deepika, however, has put the toll at 13.
A special passenger train going from Visakhapatnam to Palasa had stopped on tracks between Alamanda and Kantakapalle near Kothsavatsala because of no signal when the Vizag-Raigad passenger train rammed it, derailing three coaches. “The last two coaches of the Visakhapatnam-Palasa train and the locomotive of the Visakhapatnam-Rayagada passenger train got derailed,” said Sahu.
The CPRO said the accident occurred due to the fault of the Vizag-Rayagada loco pilot, who died under the impact of the collision.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh in case of death, Rs 2 lakh towards grievous and Rs 50,000 for minor injuries. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also reviewed the situation and announced another Rs 2 lakh assistance for the family of those who died in the accident and Rs 50,000 for the injured.
“The rescue operation was completed by 12 am…We have arranged buses and trains for the stranded passengers. We are currently focusing on the track restoration work. We are trying to clear the track by 4 pm today…” Sahu told news agency ANI.
A total of 33 trains have been cancelled, 22 trains diverted and 11 trains partially cancelled following the collision. Diverted trains will be put on a different route from Vijayawada. They will not move through Visakhapatnam, he added.
Also Read: Toll Rises To 8 In Andhra Train Crash; Trains Cancelled, Diverted
In its latest update, the ECoR mentioned about cancellation of 11 trains.
1. The train No. 22819 Bhubaneswar- Visakhapatnam Intercity express leaving Bhubaneswar on 30.10.2023 is cancelled.
2. The train No. 22820 Visakhapatnam- Bhubaneswar Intercity express leaving Visakhapatnam on 30.10.2023 is cancelled.
3. The train No. 07470 Visakhapatnam-Palasa passenger leaving Visakhapatnam on 30.10.2023 will be cancelled.
4. The train No. 07471 Palasa-Visakhapatnam passenger leaving Palasa on 30.10.2023 will be cancelled.
5. The train No. 08583 Visakhapatnam-Tirupati leaving Visakhapatnam on 30.10.2023 will be cancelled.
6. The train No. 08584 Tirupati-Visakhapatnam express leaving Tirupati on 31.10.2023 will be cancelled.
7. The train No. 18525 Brahmapur- Visakhapatnam express leaving Brahmapur on 30.10.2023 will be cancelled.
8. The train No. 18526 Visakhapatnam-Brahmapur express leaving Visakhapatnam on 30.10.2023 will be cancelled.
9. The train No. 22860 MGR Chennai Central- Puri express leaving MGR Chennai Central on 30.10.2023 is cancelled.
10. The train No. 17244 Rayagada-Guntur express leaving Rayagada on 30.10.2023 will be cancelled
11. The train No. 17240 Visakhapatnam- Guntur- Express leaving Visakhapatnam on 31.10.2023 will be cancelled
12. 18512 Visakhapatnam-Koraput on October 30
13. 18511 Koraput – Visakhapatnam on October 31
14. 08532 Visakhapatnam -Palasa on October 30
15. 08531 Palasa- Visakhapatnam on October 30
16. 08504 Visakhapatnam-Rayagada on October 30
17. 08503 Rayagada-Visakhapatnam on October 31
18. 07468 Visakhapatnam- Vizianagaram on October 30
19. 07469 Vizianagaram-Visakhapatnam on October 31
RESHECULED
1. The train No.12842 MGR Chennai Central- Shalimar Coromandel Express Scheduled to leave MGR Chennai Central at 07.00 hrs of 30.10.2023 is rescheduled to leave MGR Chennai Central at 09.30 hrs of 30.10.2023.
2. Train No:13352 Alappuzha-Dhanbad Bokaro Express Scheduled to leave Alappuzha at 06.00 Hrs of 30.10.2023 is rescheduled to leave Alppuzha at 09.00 hrs of 30.10.2023.
Information shared earlier by ECoR.
This accident comes months after the horrific three-train collision in Odisha claimed 295 lives.
