After 51 injuries and 14 deaths in the Andhra Pradesh train accident, track repairs are currently being completed.

Even though 51 people were receiving medical attention for injuries at different hospitals on Sunday night, the number of fatalities from the train crash in the Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh has now increased to 14.

Several coaches derailed after the Visakhapatnam-Rayagada Passenger Special train struck the Visakhapatnam-Palasa passenger from behind. According to officials, the collision happened between the railway stations of Kantakapalle and Alamanda.

The East Coast Railway (ECoR) has sources stating that the accident site’s tracks will be operational by this evening.

“Our teams are working extremely hard to fit the tracks by 4 pm to normalize the train operation on the route after the rescue operation is finished and the injured are transferred to the hospitals. There have been 18 cancelled trains thus far, and another 11 that have been partially canceled. 22 trains have also been rerouted, according to Biswajit Sahu, the ECoR’s chief public relations officer.

The restoration work at the accident site is being monitored by Divisional Railway Manager Waltair, Principal Heads of Departments of ECoR, and General Manager Manoj Sharma of East Coast Railway. According to officials, up to eight poclain machines, a 140 rail crane, and eight hundred to nine hundred workers are working on the restoration.

According to an official, the authorities are also working hard to give the ex-gratia to the family members of the deceased as well as the compensation amount to the more than 50 injured patients who are being treated in various hospitals.

Operations for rescue
A second National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team arrived at the accident scene early on Monday in order to support rescue and relief efforts. An NDRF and two SDRF teams were on the scene of the accident on Sunday night.

High ranking Ministry of Railways officials stated that the train’s driver who collided from behind had failed to see the signal. “He went through the red light. A rear-end collision occurred. An official stated that the local train leading the way was moving at a very slow pace, nearly crawling.

“Rescue operations are underway with DRM/Waltair (Divisional Railway Manager, Waltair division) and his team on the spot,” the ECoR stated in a statement. The rescue effort is also receiving assistance from the local government. Helpline numbers have been provided, and accident relief trains and other rescue apparatus have been activated.

Following the accident, several trains on the Chennai-Howrah route were either cancelled or diverted, causing disruptions to services.

The Prime Minister’s Office stated in a post on X that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had spoken with Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Minister of Railways, and assessed the situation. “Those impacted are receiving every assistance that can be given by authorities. It said, “The Prime Minister wishes the injured people a speedy recovery and sends his condolences to the families of the deceased.

According to the PMO, PM Modi has promised an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund to each deceased person’s surviving family member and Rs 50,000 to each injured person.

A representative of the Railways claims that ex gratia payments have already begun to be given out. The official declared, “Rs 5 lakh to those injured and Rs 10 lakh to the families of the deceased.”

Jagan Mohan Reddy on the Andhra train accident

Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, traveled to Vizianagaram on Monday to meet with injured patients who are being treated at different hospitals. Later, he’ll visit the scene of the accident as well.

Not long after the incident, Jagan Mohan Reddy also gave the go-ahead for officials to ex-gratia compensate the relatives of the deceased with Rs 10 lakh each, and the state’s injured with Rs 2 lakh each. The chief minister of Andhra Pradesh also announced that compensation would be provided to the relatives of the deceased in the amount of Rs. 2 lakh each, and to the injured in other states in the amount of Rs. 50,000 each.

Additionally, Jagan Mohan Reddy gave the go-ahead for officials to give ex-gratia payments of Rs. 2 lakh to state injured workers and Rs. 10 lakh to the relatives of the deceased. The chief minister of Andhra Pradesh also announced that compensation would be provided to the relatives of the deceased in the amount of Rs. 2 lakh each, and to the injured in other states in the amount of Rs. 50,000 each.

In order to ensure that all injured parties receive prompt medical attention, Reddy also oversaw the coordination of several government departments, such as revenue, police, and health.

When the Chief Minister called Vaishnaw, he told him that rescue teams had been dispatched to the scene of the accident, and that the district collector, the SP, and the Vizianagaram-born Education Minister B Satyanarayana were in charge of overseeing the relief and rescue efforts.

He informed Vaishnaw that all preparations for treating the injured had been made at the surrounding hospitals. Both Tirumala Hospital and NRI Hospital, Vizianagaram (Town), have admitted the injured. A number of the injured have also been admitted to MIMS Hospital in Vizianagaram (Nellimarla).

Naveen Patnaik, the chief minister of Odisha, also conveyed his sorrow over the deaths of the passengers in the train accident. In order to meet the injured at the hospital, Patnaik gave Sudam Marndi, the Minister of Revenue and Disaster Management, instructions to visit the scene of the Andhra Pradesh train accident. The minister is accompanied by senior representatives from the office of the special relief commissioner (SRC).

To coordinate the rescue effort, the governments of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh are in communication with one another. If necessary, Sahu said, the fire service team and Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force assigned to Rayagada would be hurried to the scene of the accident.

“To bring back the stranded Odia passengers, the Odisha government has sent two buses from Vizianagaram to the accident site,” Sahu continued.