Mamata demands immediate inquiry into Andhra train accident

CM Mamata Banerjee expressed concern that there was another disastrous rail collision, this time in Vizianagaram district in Andhra Pradesh. Frontal collisions between trains, derailment of compartments, helpless passengers trapped in coaches and succumbing to fate: this is becoming a most unfortunate repetitive trope, she commented.

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who had helmed the Union Railways Ministry from 2009 to 2011 during her stint as minister, came down heavily on the Centre for its alleged failure to avert such occurrences on rail tracks and demanded an immediate inquiry into the train derailment in Andhra Pradesh.

She said that such rail accidents have become unfortunate and repetitive occurrences. Fourteen people were killed and at least 50 injured, when the Palasa Passenger train collided with the Rayagada Passenger train at Kantakapalli on the Howrah-Chennai line in Vizianagaram district on Sunday, causing three coaches to derail.

• Another disastrous rail collision, this time in Vizianagaram district in Andhra Pradesh, involving two passenger trains, and causing uptil now at least 8 deaths and injury of at least 25 more.
  
  Frontal collisions between trains, derailment of compartments, helpless passengers…

  — Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) October 29, 2023 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  Another disastrous rail collision, this time in Vizianagaram district in Andhra Pradesh, involving two passenger trains, and causing uptil now at least 8 deaths and injury of at least 25 more.
  
  Frontal collisions between trains, derailment of compartments, helpless passengers…

  — Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) October 29, 2023

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  Another disastrous rail collision, this time in Vizianagaram district in Andhra Pradesh, involving two passenger trains, and causing uptil now at least 8 deaths and injury of at least 25 more.
  
  Frontal collisions between trains, derailment of compartments, helpless passengers…

  — Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) October 29, 2023

"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," Banerjee said on X late on Sunday.

"Frontal collisions between trains, derailment of compartments, helpless passengers trapped in coaches and succumbing to fate: this is becoming a most unfortunate repetitive trope!! Solidarity to the kin of victims, demand for most expeditious rescue actions, and inquiry forthwith! When will the railways come out of the slumber?" the West Bengal CM said.

Several trains have either been cancelled, diverted or rescheduled by the East Coast Railway and South Central Railway following the incident. The injured persons were rushed to the hospital. The death toll is expected to rise because of the serious injuries to many passengers. Track restoration works were going on at the site.