VISAKHAPATNAM: Two trains crashed on the Howrah-Chennai line in the Vizianagaram region of Andhra Pradesh on Sunday evening, resulting in at least 13 fatalities and over 50 injuries, according to authorities. Three coaches of the Palasa passenger train derailed when it collided with the Rayagada passenger train at Kankatapalli at approximately 7:00 p.m., according to a senior East Coast Railway (ECR) official. At least fifty individuals were hurt, according to information from Vizianagaram Collector S Nagalakshmi. The injured were being moved to hospitals in Visakhapatnam and Vizianagaram, according to a senior railway official. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated in a post on X that the government has declared ex-gratia payments for the victims.The injured were all moved to hospitals. On the microblogging platform, he stated, “Ex-gratia compensation disbursement started at Rs 10 Lakh in case of death, Rs 2 Lakh towards grievous injuries, and Rs 50,000 for minor injuries.” Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, expressed shock at the tragedy and directed officials to provide ex-gratia payments to the relatives of the deceased, each of whom would receive Rs 10 lakh, and to the injured, each of whom will receive Rs 2 lakh. According to an official announcement, he also declared compensation of Rs 2 lakh for each of the deceased’s family and Rs 50,000 for each of the injured from neighbouring states. Saurabh Prasad, the Divisional Railway Manager, visited the accident scene. We will be able to determine the precise number of deceased once that is completed. Thirteen injured individuals have been transferred to the government primary healthcare facility. Some others might have minor injuries, according to Prasad, who spoke to news agency. He continued by saying that after the entangled coaches are separated, they will have a better image. “From the accident scene, we have taken in 32 injured passengers, some of them are critically ill. Additionally, a few injured passengers have been admitted to different hospitals, according to Dr. Anila Sunandini, Vizianagaram’s Government General Hospital’s superintendent.The accident occurred at approximately 7 p.m. in the Waltair division of the East Coast Railway zone, between Alamanda and Kantakapalli in the Vizianagaram-Kottavalasa railway segment, according to Biswajit Sahu, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of the ECR. He added that the Rayagada passenger had overshot the signal and that trains 08504 (Visakhapatnam-Rayagada passenger special) and 08532 (Visakhapatnam-Palasa passenger) were both engaged in the collision. The official said that the locomotive of the Visakhapatnam-Rayagada passenger train and two cars from the back of the Visakhapatnam-Palasa passenger train derailed. The DRM, Waltair, and his team are on the scene and are conducting rescue efforts. According to the official, accident relief trains and other emergency apparatus have been activated.Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in contact with the minister of railways, the PMO stated on X, and all necessary help is being given to individuals who are impacted. In the wake of the tragic train derailment between Alamanda and Kantakapalle segment, @narendramodi spoke with Railway Minister Shri @AshwiniVaishnaw and assessed the situation. Authorities are helping those affected as much as they can. The statement read, “The Prime Minister wishes the injured people a speedy recovery and sends his condolences to the relatives of the deceased. All passengers have been moved from the scene of the collision, according to Vaishnaw. “Actions for rescue are in progress.Every passenger has been moved. @narendramodi Ji went over the circumstances. Chatted with Andhra Pradesh’s chief minister. Railway staff and state government officials are closely coordinating,” he stated on X. Reddy gave the go-ahead for rescue efforts by the officers. He requested that they set up enough ambulances to transport the wounded. Minister Botcha Satyanarayana of Andhra Pradesh arrived as well and is in charge of the rescue efforts. There are also district officials from Vizianagaram at the location. The darkness is impeding the rescue efforts. The ECR has established helplines in the interim. According to the officials, after the local government and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were notified, ambulances and accident relief trains arrived at the scene.
