NE NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI/BALASORE, JUNE 5
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.
Down-line restoration complete. First train movement in section. pic.twitter.com/cXy3jUOJQ2
— Ashwini Vaishnaw (मोदी का परिवार) (@AshwiniVaishnaw) June 4, 2023
Up-line train movement also started. pic.twitter.com/JQnd7yUuEB
— Ashwini Vaishnaw (मोदी का परिवार) (@AshwiniVaishnaw) June 4, 2023
“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.
Second train movement on down line at Bahanga Bazar station. pic.twitter.com/9oanlFtfnA
— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) June 4, 2023
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.
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.
On Sunday, Vaishnaw said the accident occurred due to a “change in electronic interlocking”.
Electronic interlocking is an arrangement of signal apparatus that prevents conflicting movements between trains through an arrangement of tracks. It is basically a safety measure to prevent signals from being changed in improper sequence. The aim of this system is that no train gets the signal to proceed unless the route is proven safe.
Meanwhile, the probe of the tragic Odisha train accident that claimed the lives of 275 people and left over 1000 injured, to the CBI.
“The way this accident happened, looking at the conditions, and according to the administrative information. The Railway Board is recommending the probe to the CBI,” Vaishnaw added.
The Railway minister added both the lines were reconstructed and tested before services resumed, 51 hours after the chilling derailment incident.
The Indian Railways on Monday has started running passenger trains on the tracks in Bahanaga village in Odisha’s Balasore which were affected due to the triple train accident.
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. (https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1930012)
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.
