Odisha train crash live: 'Balasore Collector confirms death toll as 288'

"The restoration work has started. We have arranged proper lighting for hassle-free restoration work. The team is on the site...we are on the job and we are trying to restore as soon as possible," says Aditya Kumar Chaudhary, CPRO, South Eastern Railway.

Union Minister Anurag Thakur, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath along with other ministers observe silence to pay tributes to victims of Odisha train accident.

"Large number of passengers (who were travelling in the accident-hit trains) have already reached their homes after taking the compensation amount. Our objective is that trains can start operating in a normal way latest by Wednesday morning," says Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. 

"288 bodies have been recovered so far. Around 800 injured persons are currently admitted to different hospitals. The rescue operation is expected to conclude in the next few hours," says Odisha chief secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena.

Sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik created a sand sculpture on Odisha train accident, with the message "Praying for speedy recovery of survivors", at Puri beach in Odisha on Saturday.

"288 dead bodies recovered while more than 1000 injured people have been admitted to different hospitals. Efforts are underway to clear the leftover wreckage of derailed trains from the track. Restoration work will continue throughout the night though the weather is quite hot," says NDRF DIG Mohsen Shahidi

Amitabh Sharma, Spokesperson, Ministry of Railways speaks on the anti-collision device and states, "Anti-collision device was an old technology used in Railways. It used to work with automatic brakes in locomotive proximity. However, if the driver crossed the red signal, then there were no automatic brakes. The enhanced version of this technology, TCAS, was designed indigenously. Work is being done with regard to this, and it has been rolled out nationwide. It has also been sanctioned in various railway lines, and we are expecting to have it installed by 2024."

When Railways Minister repeatedly says that our system is secure and any severe accident cannot happen then how this happened... Lal Bahadur Shastri had earlier resigned from his post in a train accident. We don't expect this from Prime Minister Modi's cabinet, but if he (Ashwini Vaishnaw) has a little bit of shame, he should resign: Congress leader Digvijay Singh on Odisha train tragedy.

All airlines are advised to extend full support to facilitate bringing the remains of the deceased back to the states where they used to live: Ministry of Civil Aviation

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya is set to visit AIIMS Bhubaneswar and Medical College in Cuttack tomorrow to take stock of medical assistance being provided to the injured victims of the Odisha train accident: Sources