West Bengal Train Accident: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Visits The Accident Site

In a piece of breaking news, today in Sealdah Kanchanjungha Express derailed after a deadly collision with a goods train. The goods train hit the passenger train from behind. According to the latest updates, the derailed two bogies have been lifted up and thrown off the tracks.

The accident has reported 8 deaths and 20-25 injuries as per the statement by Abhishek Roy, Additional SP of Darjeeling Police.

The Kanchenjunga Express is a daily train that connects Bengal with the Northeastern cities of Silchar and Agartala. This route is in the Chicken’s Neck corridor, which connects the Northeast with the rest of the country. The accident on this line can potentially impact the movement of several other trains.

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Update 18: 43: Kanchenjunga Express train accident: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee says “I started so many things, but they are only doing publicity of Vande Bharat trains. Where is Duronto Express? After the Rajdhani Express, Duronto was the fastest train.

Update 17: 20: Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav meets persons who were injured in the rail accident at North Bengal Medical College and Hospital.

Update 17:05:  Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw visits the Kanchenjunga Express train accident site in the Darjeeling district, and says “Right now our focus is on restoration. This is the main line. The rescue operation has been completed. This is not the time for politics. I will also meet the injured…”

Update 16: 20: Kanchanjunga Express accident: “On behalf of Congress, I would like to express my grief over the death of 15 people who were killed in a train accident in Jalpaiguri. In the last 10 years, there has been an increase in rail accidents, and this is a result of the mismanagement of the Centre. Today’s incident is an example of this. As a responsible opposition, we will raise questions over this in the Parliament,” says Congress leader Deepender Singh Hooda

Update 16: 15 : West Bengal: Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to shortly visit the Kanchenjunga Express train accident site in Darjeeling district.

Update 16:00: On the Kanchenjunga Express train accident, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee says, “…They (Railway Ministry) don’t care about passenger amenities. They don’t even care about railway officials, railway engineers, railway technical staff, and workers.

Update 15:16 pm: Home Minister Amit Shah, posts on ‘X’, expressing grief over the accident.

Update 15:10 pm: Assam CM Himanta Biswa sarma spoke to the Railway Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav and assured his officials are in constant touch with Railway Authorities.

Update 15:07 pm: Rahul Gandhi expresses grief over the accident and attacks the centre over mishandling of Indian Railways

Update 14:37 pm: The crash has led to the cancellation of 19 trains. ANI, releases the list of the train.

Update 14:14 pm: Centre again increases the death compensation from 2.5 Lakhs to 10 Lakhs.

Update 13:32 pm: Centre has increased the Compensation pay. Now the kins of dead will receive 2.5 Lakhs, while the injured one will receive 15,000, says Ashwini Vaishnav.

Update 13:31 pm: Death Toll Rises. 15 people are reportedly dead while 60 are injured.

Update 12:55 pm: According to the CRB, As of now total 8 ppl have died, 5 ppl and 3 railway staff have died in accident. Loco pilot and assistant poco pilot of goods train also died in accident.

Update 12:50 pm: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge took to ‘X’ to express his distress over the accident. 

Update 12:40 pm: CM Mamata Banerjee going to the spot. Mamata Banerjee will be leaving by special flight. Darjeeling MP Raju Bista at the accident site to oversee the rescue and relief efforts.

Update 12:33 pm: Congress deputy leader in Rajya Sabha Pramod Tiwari demands resignation of Railway Minister

 

Update 12:28 pm: Darjeeling MP Raju Bista reaches to the accident site.

 

Update 12: 23 pm: “We have information about 8 deaths in this accident,” says Northeast Frontier Railway CPRO Sabyasachi De.

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Update 12: 20 pm: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw shares an update on the tragic incident.

Update 12: 10 pm: PM Modi condoles on the tragic accident

Update 11:30 AM: 

The Kerala Congress has blasted Railway Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. Calling out a high number of accidents in the minister’s previous tenure, the Kerala Congress threw jibe at Vaishnaw for neither taking responsibility of the accidents nor resigning. Meanwhile, in the post, the Kerala Congress unit also have example of NDA alliance partner Nitish Kumar, when he resigned of his post in 1999 train mishap.

Update 10:57 AM: 

Sealdah Eastern Railway sets up a control desk at Rangapani station after the Kanchenjunga Express train rammed by a goods train at Ruidhasa in Darjeeling district

Update 10:50 AM:

Railway minister, Ashwini Vaishnavi expresses condolences on ‘X’

Update 09:48 AM:

CM Mamta Banerjee reacts on ‘X’..

Update 09:30 AM:

Rescue team is on action mode.

 

This is a breaking news, details are still awaited.