“When will railways come out of slumber?”: Mamata Banerjee on Andhra train accident

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India]: West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee slammed Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw after the Andhra train mishap, asking, “When will the railways come out of the slumber?”

“Another disastrous rail collision, this time in Vizianagaram district in Andhra Pradesh, involving two passenger trains, and causing until now at least 8 deaths and injury of at least 25 more,” Mamata Banerjee posted on X in a series of tweets.

“Frontal collisions between trains, derailment of compartments, helpless passengers trapped in coaches and succumbing to fate: this is becoming a most unfortunate repetitive trope!!,” Mamata added.

She also expressed solidarity with the kin of victims, and “demanded for most expeditious rescue actions and inquiry forthwith!”. “When will the railways come out of the slumber?”

The death toll in the Andhra train collision reached to 9 as rescue operations continue in Vizianagaram district, an East Coast Railway official said.

“Rescue operations continue in Vizianagaram district. As per the data, 9 casualties are there and 29 people have been injured…” says Biswajit Sahu, CPRO, East Coast Railway told reporters.

A few coaches derailed after the Visakhapatnam-Ragada passenger train hit a Visakhapatnam-Ragada train travelling on the same route in Andhra Pradesh’s Vizianagaram district on Sunday evening, officials said.

The Divisional Railway Manager said that 3 coaches were involved in the accident.
“There was a rear collision between the Visakhapatnam-Palasa passenger train and the Visakhapatnam-Ragada passenger train. 3 coaches were involved in the accident.

Rescue operations are underway, Local administration and NDRF were informed for assistance and ambulances. Accident relief trains reached the site,” the Divisional Railway Manager said.

Meanwhile, Waltair Division Railway manager Saurabh Prasad while giving an update on the train accident said, “In the middle line we had two passenger trains which were running…The rear train came and overshot the signal as a result of which we had around five coaches, three of the front train and two of the rear train which have derailed…There are people who are trapped in these coaches…Our first priority is to take care of passengers who are trapped inside. SDRF, NDF and our teams, all three are working right now…..More than 30 people were injured…The rescue efforts are on…”

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan ordered to take immediate relief measures and to send as many ambulances as possible from Visakhapatnam and Anakapalli.

“CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy ordered to take immediate relief measures and to send as many ambulances as possible from Visakhapatnam and Anakapalli, the nearest districts of Vizianagaram, and to make all kinds of arrangements in nearby hospitals to provide good medical care,” Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Office posted on X (Formerly Twitter).”

The Chief Minister has issued orders to coordinate other government departments including health, police and revenue to take quick-relief measures and ensure that the injured receive prompt medical services,” the CMO stated.

Further details are awaited.