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Indian Railways resumes services 51 hours post Odisha triple train disaster

On Monday, Indian Railways resumed passenger services on the tracks in Bahanaga village, Odisha’s Balasore district, 51 hours after the catastrophic triple train accident which claimed 275 lives and left over 1,000 injured. Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that services on both tracks have been restored to normalcy. This tragic incident occurred around 7 […]

On Monday, Indian Railways resumed passenger services on the tracks in Bahanaga village, Odisha’s Balasore district, 51 hours after the catastrophic triple train accident which claimed 275 lives and left over 1,000 injured. Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that services on both tracks have been restored to normalcy.
This tragic incident occurred around 7 pm on June 2 near the Bahanaga Baazar station, involving the Bengaluru-Howrah Express, Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express, and a goods train. As part of the accident investigation, Vaishnaw disclosed that a change in the electronic interlocking system – a safety feature preventing conflicting movements between trains – had triggered the disaster. In light of the complex nature and devastating consequences of the accident, the Railway Board is recommending a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Meanwhile, another incident occurred on the same day involving a goods train derailment at a private cement company in Odisha’s Bargarh district. This derailment, which took place on a private track inside the ACC Cement plant, involved five bogies but resulted in no casualties or injuries. The East Coast Railway (ECoR) officials clarified that the derailment was not connected with the Indian railway system, emphasising that it occurred on a private narrow gauge line.
The recommencement of rail services in Balasore was marked by the crossing of the Howrah-Puri Vande Bharat Express train, which had been flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi via video conferencing on May 18. As services resumed, Minister Vaishnaw waved at the crew of a goods train, offering prayers for a safe journey.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) concluded its rescue operation on Monday. Since the deployment of its nine teams after the accident, the NDRF successfully rescued 44 victims and retrieved 121 bodies. With no live or dead victims remaining at the site, all teams have now been withdrawn.
Simultaneously, the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) has been addressing distress calls related to the accident. Of the two calls received so far, the whereabouts of one individual have been determined, while the search is ongoing for the second person. In the midst of these operations, an Andhra Pradesh team dispatched to assist survivors in O

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