Odisha train collision
wreckage of the three compartments of the Coromandel Express
Wreckage of three compartments of the Coromandel Express
Location of collision
2023 Odisha train collision is located in India
2023 Odisha train collision
Crash location on a map of India
Details
Date2 June 2023 (2023-06-02)
around 19:00 IST (13:30 UTC)[1]
LocationNear Bahanaga Bazar railway station, Balasore, Odisha
Coordinates21°20′17″N 86°45′52″E / 21.33806°N 86.76444°E / 21.33806; 86.76444
CountryIndia
OperatorIndian Railways
Incident typeDerailment, double collision
CauseUnder investigation; Change in electronic interlocking from signalling error[2][3]
Statistics
Trains3 trains
Deaths296
Injured>1,200

On 2 June 2023, three trains collided in Balasore district in Odisha state of eastern India. The Coromandel Express entered the passing loop instead of the main line near Bahanaga Bazar railway station at full speed and collided with a goods train. Due to the high speed of the Coromandel Express, its 21 coaches derailed and three of those collided with the oncoming SMVT Bengaluru–Howrah Superfast Express on the adjacent track.

A total of 296 people were killed in the crash and more than 1,200 others were injured.[4] It was India's deadliest railway crash since the Firozabad rail collision in 1995, although the Gaisal train collision in 1999 may have killed more people. It was also the deadliest rail disaster worldwide since the 2004 Sri Lanka tsunami train wreck.[5][6]

Crash

Simplified diagram of the 2023 Odisha train collision

On 2 June 2023, the 12841 Coromandel Express was travelling from Shalimar in Howrah, West Bengal, to MGR Chennai Central in Chennai, Tamil Nadu on the up main line at the Bahanaga Bazar railway station. Around the same time, the 12864 Bengaluru–Howrah Express was travelling in the opposite direction from SMVT Bengaluru in Bangalore, Karnataka, to Howrah on the adjacent down main line. Both trains, not scheduled to stop at the railway station and having received a green signal indicating it was safe to proceed along the main line, were at their highest permitted speed of 128 km/h (80 mph).[7][8]

At about 19:00 IST (13:30 GMT), the Coromandel Express was supposed to continue straight on the up main line but was wrongly switched to the parallel up loop line at full speed, where it collided with a stationary goods train laden with iron ore. Because of the high impact speed, 21 coaches of the train were derailed from the main line.[7][9][10][11] The goods train did not derail or move.[7]

Three of the derailed coaches from the Coromandel Express careened into the adjacent track and whiplashed the tail end of the Bengaluru–Howrah Express crossing the station at the same time.[7] Two unreserved coaches and the brake van of the Bengaluru–Howrah Express were derailed. The remainder of the train, which included the engine and 20 coaches, left with its passengers and continued to Balasore, where a further damaged coach was detached. The remaining 19 coaches then continued their journey to the train's destination of Howrah. It was reported that the reserved compartments of the Bengaluru–Howrah Express sustained no passenger fatalities or injuries. Officials said that ascertaining the identification of passengers on the unreserved coaches would take time.[12]

According to the Indian Railways spokesperson, the engine, parcel van and two general coaches of the Coromandel Express were the worst impacted in the incident. According to Reuters’ analysis, on the two passenger trains, the carriages worst damaged were the non-air conditioned ones, some of which were unreserved coaches that are often the most crowded and that allow anyone with the cheapest category ticket to board without a specific seat reserved for them. These unreserved and general coaches are frequently used by migrant workers across India.[13]

Emergency response

External videos
video icon Aerial visuals of the accident site on 3 June via ANI on Twitter
video icon Animated explanation of the accident by NDTV

Indian Railways published the reservation charts of both the passenger trains on its website.[‡ 1][‡ 2] The railways and the governments of Odisha, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu also issued helpline numbers.[14][15] According to the Odisha Chief Secretary Pradeep Jena, three National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) units, four Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force units, more than 15 fire rescue teams, 100 doctors, 200 police personnel and 200 ambulances were mobilised for the rescue operations. It was reported that four other NDRF teams were on the way to the crash site. Local bus companies assisted in transporting injured passengers.[16][17] Local civilians provided passengers with water and helped them retrieve their luggage where possible.[18]

Members of the National Disaster Response Force on the site, June 3
A scene from interior part of inverted Coromandel coach after the collision, June 4

The Government of West Bengal sent 30 ambulances to assist with the rescue and recovery of the wounded. In addition, 40 doctors and several nursing staff were sent.[19] The Government of Tamil Nadu sent a high level delegation comprising two state ministers and three IAS officers to Odisha to assist the passengers bound for Chennai and observe the situation. It also arranged a treatment facility with 70 beds at Chennai's Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital.[20]

Rescue operations being conducted at the crash site

The search for and recovery of trapped and injured passengers continued through the night of 2 June and was concluded on the afternoon of 3 June.[21][22] Search dogs were used to find survivors.[22] South Eastern Railway announced that efforts had commenced to restore the crash site the next day.[17] A number of locals from Balasore, Bhadrak, and Cuttack came to hospitals to donate blood.[23]

Victims

A total of 296 people died in the crash.[4] Almost all of the dead were in the first three cars of the Coromandel Express, in the so-called general category coaches, where many passengers stand.[24] Bodies of deceased passengers were taken to a local high school, chosen due to its open spaces and location close to the crash site.[25] Identification of bodies was made more difficult due to burns or other trauma, causing officials to use luggage, phones, and other belongings to try to identify the passengers.[25] The rail service only had names for passengers with reserved seats.[24]

Over 1,200 people were injured in the crash.[4] By the evening of 3 June, Odisha government officials said that 1,175 people had been admitted to hospitals as a result of the crash; 793 of those people had been released, and 382 were still undergoing treatment.[21] Local hospitals were overwhelmed by the influx of injured people, but worked to provide patients with adequate care.[23]

Both the driver and assistant driver of the Coromandel Express survived the crash.[26]

Aftermath

The railways announced that they would pay compensation of ₹10 lakh (US$13,000) to families of the deceased, ₹2 lakh (US$2,500) to the severely injured and ₹50,000 (US$630) to those with minor injuries. Further, ex gratia compensation of ₹2 lakh from the PMNRF would be given to the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 to the injured.[27][28]

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced that ₹5 lakh (US$6,300) in compensation would be paid to families of passengers from West Bengal who had been killed, ₹1 lakh (US$1,300) to those who had been critically injured, and ₹50,000 to those with minor injuries.[29]

Excavators clearing the tracks two days after the event

Following the crash, NDTV reported that at least 48 trains on the affected route had been cancelled, 39 trains had been diverted onto a different route, and 10 had been short-terminated;[5] Hindustan Times reported that more than 150 trains were impacted.[21] The inaugural run of the Mumbai CSMT–Madgaon Vande Bharat Express, which had been scheduled for 3 June, was cancelled.[30] The Ministry of Civil Aviation directed airlines to ensure that airfares would not surge in response to increased travel demand.[31] Bus fares in the region, however, showed a steep rise.[32]

Two trains, the Bengaluru–Howrah Express and a special train, arrived at Howrah on 3 June with 643 passengers. Arrangements were made for the passengers' medical needs at the station. The critically injured had already been hospitalised in Balasore. Buses were arranged by the Regional Transport Office to take passengers home.[33] Another train left from Bhadrak for Chennai with 195 stranded passengers. According to an official, it would also board passengers of Coromandel Express at stations on the way.[34] On 3 June, a bus carrying passengers from the crash site to medical facilities in West Bengal crashed into another vehicle in West Bengal's Medinipur. Some passengers may have suffered minor injuries.[35] The passenger train service resumed on 5 June after more than 51 hours of restoration work.[36]

Investigation

A preliminary investigation conducted by Kharagpur railway division officials indicates that the following occurred at the site of crash:[37][38]

  • The Coromandel Express was heading towards Chennai on a southbound line at a speed of 128 km/h (80 mph) and was initially given the signal to proceed on the main line. However, for unknown reasons, the signal was then taken off for the main line and the track was switched to a loop line adjacent to the main line.[39]
  • The Coromandel Express then hit the rear end of a stationary goods train which was on the loop line. This caused the locomotive of the Coromandel Express to climb over the goods train wagon and caused the derailment of the Coromandel Express's 22 coaches.
  • In the meantime, the Bengaluru–Howrah Express, which was heading towards Howrah on the northbound line at a speed of 126 km/h (78 mph), was passing the Coromandel Express in the opposite direction. At the moment of the crash, most of the coaches of the Bengaluru–Howrah Express, but not its rear end, had passed the other train.
  • When the Coromandel Express derailed, three of its coaches hit the last two coaches of Bengaluru–Howrah Express; consequently, those five coaches saw the most casualties.

The railway authorities stated that the anti-collision system had not yet been deployed on the track where the collision happened, despite their having been warned twice in the six months before the incident about the missing anti-collision signalling system and other shortcomings that contributed to causing the derailment. In February 2023, the principal chief operating manager of South Western Railways zone had written to the authorities after the Karnataka Sampark Kranti Express via Ballari Junction narrowly escaped a collision. He had warned South Western Railways that there would be derailments if the glitches in the signalling system remained unfixed. A December 2022 report on derailments by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India had warned that lack of adequate staffing in the safety department by the Indian Railways would impact the quality of maintenance. The report also stated that railway safety funds had fallen short of their target every year for the last four years and were misused for buy electrical appliances, furniture and jackets, develop gardens, and pay salaries and bonuses. That report contradicted the claims by Indian Railways that the accident was not a reflection of deeper safety issues in the system.[40][41][42][43]

On 4 June, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that a "change in electronic interlocking", an error in electronic signals, caused the crash.[2][3] Railway Board member Jaya Varma said that the electronic interlocking system is "fail-safe" in 99.9% of cases but this rare case of failure might have been caused by a wire cut during digging or some sort of short circuit.[44][45]

Vaishnaw said that the railway board had recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)-led probe, a move that is a deviation from the normal procedure. He claimed that the Commission of Railway Safety (CRS) "has investigated the matter". A former longtime railways worker and board member questioned the government claim of that they had identified the perpetrator, even before identifying the cause of crash, which is not yet known. They also stated CRS personnel are more competent in the matter of Railways than CBI. He said that an advantage of investigation by CRS over the CBI probe is that the CBI probe will only identify the culprits, while the CRS investigation will also uncover systemic failures providing a review of current safety precautions and methods in which the Railways can improve.[46]

Vaishnaw also suggested someone had changed the point rails as an act of sabotage. A signalling inspector said this was "extremely unlikely" due to time constraints; typically the points are set in the correct direction after getting the signal that the train has passed the previous station, and once the points have been set, they cannot be reset for at least two minutes. At the speed the train was travelling, it would take 141 seconds to reach Bahanaga Bazar station from the previous station (Panpana), leaving less than 20 seconds for a potential saboteur to make the change. Altering the points would also require collusion with the station master. But even if the point was reversed, the question of signalling the green light for train to continue still remains unanswered.[46]

On 7 July 2023, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) announced significant progress in the case related to the train accident. The CBI arrested three railway officials believed to be responsible for the accidents.[47] The CBI statement identified them as one technician and two signal engineers employed with Indian Railways. They were charged with culpable homicide and destruction of evidence in a case filed against them.[48]

Reactions

Prime Minister Narendra Modi meeting victims of the crash at a hospital in Balasore, Odisha

Narendra Modi, the prime minister of India, expressed his distress over the incident and extended his thoughts to the grieving families.[49] Union Home Minister Amit Shah described the incident as "profoundly distressing.”[17] Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed their concerns over the disaster.[50][51] Leaders from neighbouring countries of India and across the world expressed their condolences for the loss of life, and extended support to India.[52][53]

Both the Chief Minister of Odisha[54] and the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu declared a day of mourning and the latter announced a compensation of ₹5 lakh (US$6,300) to the kin of those who had died.[55]

According to professor and columnist Apoorvanand, the train accident was used as an opportunity to demonise Muslims.[56] Just after the train crash, posts by accounts known for spreading Hindutva and Bharatiya Janata Party propaganda started circulating on different social media platforms and WhatsApp groups, blaming Muslims for the accident.[57][58]

Many opposition parties, including Indian National Congress, Trinamool Congress, Communist Party of India (Marxist), and Communist Party of India asked for Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw's resignation.[59]

Mallikarjun Kharge, president of the All India Congress Committee and former railway minister, referred to a letter from February in which he questioned the Ministry of Railways about their oversight of a crucial warning.[60] He criticized the government for not implementing the anti-train-collision system. He stated that both the Prime Minister Modi and Railway Minister Vaishnaw seemed reluctant to acknowledge the existence of problems.[61][60]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Dash, Jatindra; V, Abinaya (3 June 2023). "At least 291 dead in India's worst train accident in over two decades". Reuters. Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  2. 1 2 "Signal failure led to India's deadly train crash, officials say". CBC.ca. 4 June 2023. Archived from the original on 4 June 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  3. 1 2 Soutik Biswas; Adam Durbin (4 June 2023). "India train disaster: Signal fault the likely cause, minister says". BBC News. Archived from the original on 4 June 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 MR, Senjo. "Odisha train accident: CBI charges 3 railway officials with culpable homicide". Rediff News. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  5. 1 2 "288 Dead, 803 Injured After Horrific Three-Train Crash In Odisha". NDTV.com. Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  6. ↑ "1981 Bihar to 2023 Balasore train accident in Odisha, here are India's deadliest rail accidents". The Economic Times. 3 June 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "India train disaster: Signal fault the likely cause, minister says". BBC News. 4 June 2023. Archived from the original on 4 June 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  8. ↑ "Balasore: How did three trains collide in Odisha?". BBC News. 3 June 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  9. ↑ "Death toll in Odisha train accident rises to 288". The Hindu. 3 June 2023. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  10. ↑ "Photos: 70+ killed, over 600 injured in Balasore triple train crash in Odisha". Hindustan Times. 3 June 2023. Archived from the original on 2 June 2023. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  11. ↑ "Odisha three-train accident: 288 dead in India's worst train tragedy since 1995; survivors recount horrors". The Times of India. 4 June 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  12. ↑ "Bengaluru-Howrah Express Train Accident: No One From Reserved Coaches Injured or Dead". TimesNow. 3 June 2023. Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  13. ↑ "How India's train crash affected poor the most". Reuters. 14 June 2023.
  14. ↑ "Odisha Train Accident: Check complete list of helpline numbers issued so far". livemint.com. 3 June 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  15. ↑ "Odisha Train Accident: Check complete list of helpline numbers issued so far". tamil.oneindia.com (in Tamil). 3 June 2023. Archived from the original on 2 June 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  16. ↑ "Rescue Teams At Odisha Train Crash Site, Ops To Last 3 More Hours: Official". NDTV.com. Archived from the original on 2 June 2023. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  17. 1 2 3 "India train crash: More than 280 dead after Odisha incident". BBC. 3 June 2023. Archived from the original on 2 June 2023. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  18. ↑ Sharma, Ashok (2 June 2023). "More than 200 killed and 900 hurt after 2 trains derail in India; hundreds still trapped in coaches". AP News. Archived from the original on 2 June 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  19. ↑ "Balasore train disaster: Century's biggest, says Mamata Banerjee". The Times of India. 3 June 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  20. ↑ "Odisha Train Accident: Tamil Nadu Govt Sends Ministerial Delegation to Coordinate Rescue". News 18. 3 June 2023. Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  21. 1 2 3 "Odisha train crash: 'Signal was given and taken off'; toll nears 290. Top points". Hindustan Times. 3 June 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  22. 1 2 "Survivors recount 'haunting' scenes as country demands answers – latest". The Independent. 3 June 2023. Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  23. 1 2 "Odisha tragedy: Balasore hospitals crumble under a deluge of patients". Hindustan Times. 4 June 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  24. 1 2 Yasir, Sameer; Mashal, Mujib; Kumar, Hari (11 June 2023). "Faceless, Nameless and Dead by the Dozen in a Train's Cheapest Cars". The New York Times. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
  25. 1 2 "Odisha train tragedy: School becomes morgue, identifying dead a big challenge". The Indian Express. 3 June 2023. Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  26. ↑ "Odisha Train Accident: Injured Coromandel Express Drivers Stable". NDTV.com. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  27. ↑ "Coromandel express accident live: Death toll in Odisha train accident rises to 237". The Times of India. 3 June 2023. Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  28. ↑ "Odisha tragedy: What we know so far after accident involving three trains". Hindustan Times. 2 June 2023. Archived from the original on 2 June 2023. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  29. ↑ Luxmi, Bhagya (3 June 2023). "'This is not time to do politics', Vaishnaw reacts to Banerjee's claim over death toll in Balasore tragedy". www.indiatvnews.com. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  30. ↑ "Flagging off function of Goa-Mumbai Vande Bharat Express cancelled following Odisha train tragedy". The Times of India. 2 June 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 2 June 2023. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  31. ↑ "Train tragedy: Ensure no surge in Orissa airfares, don't charge penalty from affected, government directs airlines". The Times of India. 3 June 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  32. ↑ "Odisha Train Accident Bus fares skyrocket as demand peaks after trains get cancelled". ETV Bharat News. Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  33. ↑ "Howrah station turns into a hospital as train with those who cheated death arrives". The Indian Express. 3 June 2023. Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  34. ↑ "Odisha rail accident: 1,200 stranded passengers to arrive at Howarh on Saturday". The Economic Times. 3 June 2023. ISSN 0013-0389. Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  35. ↑ "Bus carrying passengers from Balasore crash site meets with accident in Bengal". India Today. Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  36. ↑ "Passenger trains resume services on restored tracks after Odisha three-way collision". Hindustan Times. 5 June 2023. Archived from the original on 5 June 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  37. ↑ "Odisha tragedy: How the 3 trains collided into each other". The Times of India. 3 June 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  38. ↑ "Odisha tragedy: Preliminary enquiry indicates signalling failure caused train accident". Firstpost. 3 June 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  39. ↑ "Odisha three-train accident: 288 dead in India's worst train tragedy since 1995; survivors recount horrors". The Times of India. 4 June 2023.
  40. ↑ Scroll Staff (4 June 2023). "Odisha train accident: Railways got two warnings in 6 months on faulty signalling, poor track repair". Scroll.in. Archived from the original on 4 June 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  41. ↑ Jain, Meetu (4 June 2023). "CAG Report on Derailments Hard to Square With PMO Claims on Prioritising Rail Safety". The Wire. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  42. ↑ Mudur, G.S. (4 June 2023). "Odisha train accident: Safety funds fall short amid Indian govt's focus on speed". The Telegraph. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  43. ↑ Suryamurthy, R.; Saha, Sambit; Ghosh, Pinak (10 June 2023). "Modi government's special fund for railway safety spent on foot massagers, crockery, winter jackets: CAG report". The Telegraph. Kolkata. Archived from the original on 10 June 2023. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
  44. ↑ "Coromandel driver was conscious after train crash, Goods train guard alive". Hindustan Times. 5 June 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  45. ↑ "India rail crash probe focuses on electronic track management system". The Business Standard. 5 June 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  46. 1 2 Sridhar, V. (9 June 2023). "Cover Your Tracks: The Modi Government's Attitude After the Balasore Tragedy". The Wire. Archived from the original on 9 June 2023. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  47. ↑ "Three railway officials arrested over train crash that killed 275 people in India". CNN. 8 July 2023.
  48. ↑ "Three arrested in India over train crash that killed nearly 300 people". The Guardian. 7 July 2023.
  49. ↑ "PM Modi Announces Rs 2 Lakh For Families Of Odisha Accident Victims". NDTV.com. Archived from the original on 2 June 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  50. ↑ "Odisha train accident: Bengal government announces measures to aid passengers and kin in distress". www.telegraphindia.com. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  51. ↑ "Coromandel Express accident Live Updates: PM Modi to visit Odisha accident site today, will meet injured at Cuttack hospital". The Indian Express. 2 June 2023. Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  52. ↑ "Odisha Train Accident: World Leaders Pay Condolences To Victims". Zee News. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  53. ↑ "Odisha train tragedy: World leaders extend support to India, condole loss of lives". Hindustan Times. 3 June 2023. Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  54. ↑ "Odisha train accident: CM Naveen Patnaik declares one-day state mourning". Hindustan Times. 3 June 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  55. ↑ "Odisha train accident: Tamilnadu Announced Compensation". News 18. 3 June 2023. Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  56. ↑ "India's deadly train crash: Forget the truth, blame it on Muslims". Al Jazeera. 15 June 2023.
  57. ↑ "False posts blaming 'Muslim railway employee' for deadly India train crash share unrelated photo". Fact Check. AFP. 14 June 2023.
  58. ↑ "Even a train tragedy in India is being blamed on Muslims online". Scroll.in. 4 June 2023.
  59. ↑ Service, Express News (4 June 2023). "Congress keeps attack on hold, others in Opposition say Govt must own up". Indian Express. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  60. 1 2 Sharma, Shweta (6 June 2023). "Odisha train accident – latest: Survivor describes scramble to escape after crash that killed hundreds". Independent. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  61. ↑ "Oppn parties demand resignation of Railway Min, release letter flagging safety issues". The News Minute. 5 June 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2023.

Primary sources

In the text these references are preceded by a double dagger (‡):

  1. ↑ "Contingency Train Chart (12841)". www.indianrail.gov.in. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  2. ↑ "Contingency Train Chart (12864)". www.indianrail.gov.in. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
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