Odisha train crash live: 'Balasore Collector confirms death toll as 288'
Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan reach District Head Quarter Hospital in Odisha to meet the injured.
#WATCH | Odisha: Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan reach District Head Quarter Hospital in Odisha to meet the injured.#BalasoreTrainAccident pic.twitter.com/ON1ki04EUQ
— ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2023
"Down main line has been restored at 12:05 hrs today," tweets Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
Down main line made fit at 12:05 hrs today.
— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) June 4, 2023
"We don't look for political scores during human tragedy. Madhavrao Scindia, Nitish Kumar, and Lal Bahadur Shastri gave resignations on moral grounds. Railways Minister should take responsibility but Modi and morals travel in opposite directions: Congress
Odisha train tragedy: There are still a number bodies yet to be claimed in various morgues. State Government is appealing to next of kin from different states to identify and claim the bodies. Details can be found on this website https://t.co/xHMmv6K9K9
(Caution: Some of the…— ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2023
"We are investigating the cause of the incident, currently our focus is to provide the best possible treatment to the injured. Several people have lost their lives and I think the politicisation of such issues should not be done. The country needs to come together," says Union Minister Anurag Thakur.
A PIL has been filed in the SC seeking a probe into the Balasore train accident by an expert panel headed by a retired judge of the SC. PIL also seeks guidelines/directions for the implementation of the Automatic Train Protection (ATP) System called KAVACH Protection System in Indian Railways with immediate effect to ensure public safety.
Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik announces ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh each to kin of dead, Rs 1 lakh for injured.
"It is our responsibility to establish normalcy as early as possible. Restoration work is underway. Indian Railways is running free trains and logistic facilities are also being provided. The death toll has crossed 270. The inquiry for the cause is underway. We will take strict action against the persons responsible for this," says Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
"It has nothing to do with Kavach. The reason is not what Mamata Banerjee said yesterday. This incident happened due to a change in electronic interlocking," Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw further adds.
The commissioner of railway safety has investigated the matter and let the investigation report come but we have identified the cause of the incident and the people responsible for it... It happened due to a change in electronic interlocking. Right now our focus is on restoration, says Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.