Bhubaneshwar/ Kolkata: Relief and rescue operations are continuing at the site where 14 bogies of Howrah-Chennai Coromandel Superfast Express derailed on Friday night.
East Coast Railways Chief Public Relations Officer JP Mishra said that rescue operations are still on and some stranded passengers have been sent to Chennai while other have gone to Kolkata by a special train.
Fourteen bogies of Howrah-Chennai Coromandel Superfast Express derailed near Orissa's Jajpur Road Station in which nine people were killed. Earlier reports had claimed that 15 people were killed but rescue workers found only nine dead bodies, railway officials said.
Union Minister of Railways Lalu Prasad announced a compensation for the victims
'It's a very disturbing incident. It's a serious accident. Rs 5 lakh will be given as compensation to the next of kin of those killed, Rs 50,000 will be given as to people who are seriously injured and Rs 10,000 to those with minor injuries. All those in jured will be provided free treatment," said Lalu.
Ironically, the accident came just hours after Lalu boasted that rail accidents had come down in the past year while presenting the Interim Railway Budget in Parliament on Friday.
Meanwhile, a high-level inquiry has been ordered into the derailment.
Minister of State for Railways R Velu, who visited the accident site on Saturday, said a high-level probe into the accident would be conducted by the Commissioner of Railway Safety and the report would be submitted within seven days.
He said nine persons have been killed in the mishap that took place while the train was changing tracks.
He said only 45 of the injured passengers were admitted to different hospitals where the condition of six was stated to be critical. Most of the injured were discharged after first aid, he said.
Velu said the men and machinery of the Railways and other agencies were working to clear the tracks to restore normal traffic on the important route within 48 hours.
(With inputs from PTI)
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