#OdishaTrainAccident : Heat On Government ; Mamata Banerjee Rues Absence Of Anti- Collision System In Trains ; Cong Bats For Passenger Safety

Picture : Twitter/ ANI

Expressing shock and grief at the loss of lives in the train accident in Odisha, opposition leaders on Saturday stressed the importance of prioritising the safety of passengers by railways, while there were also demands to fix accountability and for the resignation of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

As per ANI report, The accident involving two passenger trains and a goods train in Odisha’s Balasore district killed at least 288 people and injured more than 1100, in one of the worst railway tragedies in the country.

The Congress said the “horrendous” train accident in Odisha reinforces why safety should always be the foremost priority in the functioning of the rail network and asserted that there are many questions to ask of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railway Minister Vaishnaw but those can wait as the immediate task was of rescue and relief.

Terming the horrific train accident in Odisha the ‘biggest of the century’, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee who met Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw has said that the crash could have been averted if trains were equipped with the anti-collision system.

The Trinamool Congress chief and former Railway Mnister Banerjee further announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for the victims of the tragedy belonging to West Bengal.

“Coromandel is one of the best express trains. I was the Railway Minister thrice. From what I saw, this is the biggest railway accident of the 21st century. Such cases are handed over to Railway’s safety commission and they investigate and give a report. There was no anti-collision device on the train, as far as I know. Had the device been on the train, this would not have happened. The dead can’t be brought back but now our work is rescue operation and restoration of normalcy,” Banerjee said while addressing the reporters in the presence of the Union Railway minister.

WB CM reached the Odisha train mishap site on Saturday.

The Balasore train tragedy that jolted the nation on Friday, has claimed more than 261 lives whereas 1000 people have been injured.

Two passenger trains along with a goods train were involved in the accident due to train derailment, which resulted in the train collision.

The accident involved two passenger trains- Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Coromandel Express and a goods train on three separate tracks at Bahanaga Bazar Station in Balasore district.

Seventeen coaches of the passenger trains have been de-railed and severely damaged in the accident that took place on Friday evening.