The death toll in the tragic train mishap in Andhra Pradesh has climbed to 13 with more trains being cancelled in the midst of rescue operations carried out by various stakeholders. Over 50 people have been injured as the mishap reminisced the deadly train accident that happened in Balasore, Odisha earlier this June. The victims have been offered with consolations from across the country and the probe into the mishap is underway. 

The mishap had occurred during the evening hours of Sunday - October 29 in Andhra Pradesh where two trains had collided with some of the coaches derailed. When a passenger train between Vishakapatnam and Palasa was on a restricted speed on the main line between Alamanda and Kantakapalle due to no signal, it was hit from behind by another train that was running between Vishakapatnam and Rayagada. 

According to the Divisional Railway Manager, the last three coaches of the Vishakapatnam- Palasa train and the locomotive of the Vishakapatnam - Rayagada train and its two coaches got derailed and one of the derailed coaches fell on a wagon of a goods train that was in stationary on the other side. While the death toll stood at nine till Sunday night, it has now climbed to 13 and over 50 injured people are being treated at various hospitals. 

It has been reported that the deadly mishap could have occurred due to the error of the Vishapatnam - Rayagada loco pilot, who also had died in the accident. Biswajit Sahu, the Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of the East Central Railways (ECR), said that the accident may have occurred due to the fault of Vishapatnam- Rayagada loco pilot and that the loco pilot couldn't have noticed the signal. 

Sahu further said, "After completion of the rescue operation and shifting of the injured to the hospitals, our teams are working hard to fit the tracks by 4 pm to normalise the train operation on the route. So far, 18 trains have been cancelled while 11 more have been partially cancelled. Similarly, 22 trains have been diverted." By citing that the probe has been launched, Sahu asserted that the exact reason for the accident would be known after the inquiry. 

Two teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and two teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been on the ground, carrying out the rescue operations. While the rescue operations are striving to restore normalcy and resume the train services, the victims have been offered ex-gratia from both the Union and state governments. 

The Prime Minister's Office took to social media and wrote that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, following the accident, spoke to Railway Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw and took stock of the situation in the wake of the unfortunate train deraliment between Alamanda and Kantakapelle section. "Authorities are providing all possible assistance to those affected. The Prime Minister extends condolences to the bereaved families and prays that the injured recover soon", the Prime Minister's Office added. 

It further said, "The Prime Minister has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the PMNRF for the next of the kin of each deceased due to train derailment between Alamanda and Kantakapalle section. The injured would be given Rs 50,000."  

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had expressed shock and concern over the train accident and had instructed authorities to roll out urgent relief actions. Announcing ex-gratia for the victims, Reddy said that the kins of the deceased who belonged to Andhra Pradesh would be given Rs 10 lakh each while any people of Andhra Pradesh-native who had got injured would be given Rs 2 lakh. 

Jagan Mohan Reddy further announced that a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each would be given to the kin of the deceased from other states while Rs 50,000 will be provided to the injured people who are from other states. Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had also spoken to Jagan Mohan Reddy during which the former had expressed his shock over the accident and ordered all arrangements should be made to treat the injured. 

In June 2023, a deadly train accident in Odisha had killed around 296 people. In what was a triple collision, this horrific accident was caused by three trains - The Shalimar Chennai Central Coromandel Express, Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express and a goods train. Injuring over 1,200 people, this mishap in Odisha had become India's deadliest railway crash in 14 years.