Several coaches of the Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express train derailed near Bahanaga railway station in Odisha’s Balasore district on Friday evening, leading to numerous deaths and injuries. In response, a 12-member medical team, equipped with trauma care facilities and multiple ambulances, is being dispatched from Bengal to Balasore to provide medical assistance to the affected passengers. Additionally, some hearse-carriers are being sent by the state government to retrieve any deceased persons who may need to be transported back to West Bengal. Furthermore, a six-member team from the state government, led by a state minister and MP, has already been dispatched to the accident site.
It is expected that the people travelling by the train were from West Bengal, given that it started from Shalimar station in West Bengal. The South Eastern Railways office in Kolkata has also released a statement stating the immediate dispatching of trains equipped with medical facilities and doctors to the site.
The Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, is in constant contact with the Odisha government’s officials, with the government’s own control room operational to answer the queries of anxious relatives of those travelling by the train. In this regard, helpline numbers have been opened at various stations.
This coordinated response seeks to address the various needs of the affected passengers and their families, including providing medical care and transport. The government officials continue to maintain contact, ensuring everyone is informed of developments and support is provided accordingly.
