Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday arrived at the Balasore District Hospital and met the people who were injured in the train accident.
The death toll in the Odisha train accident involving two express trains — Bengaluru-Howrah Express and Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express — and a goods train in Balasore has risen to 238, South Eastern Railway said on Saturday.
Earlier, the Odisha CM also visited the incident spot and took stock of the situation.
Earlier today, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw reached the accident spot and ordered a detailed high-level inquiry into the mishap.
“A detailed high-level inquiry will be conducted and the rail safety commissioner will also do an independent inquiry,” Vaishnaw said.
Meanwhile, Union Minister of Education and Skill Development, Dharmendra Pradhan also cut short his visit to Kolkata in West Bengal and left for Balasore in Odisha where several coaches of a passenger train derailed after colliding with a goods carriage.
The Odisha government has declared a day of mourning today.
According to Railway spokesperson Amitabh Sharma, the accident took place around 7 pm on Friday.
Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw reached the spot and supervised the rescue operation”
A detailed high-level inquiry will be conducted and the rail safety commissioner will also do an independent inquiry,” Vaishnaw said on Saturday.
He added, “Our focus is on rescue and relief operations. Restoration will begin after clearance from the district administration”.
This report is filed by ANI news service.
