Odisha train mishap: First train chugs out of accident affected section in Balasore after 51 hours

Nearly 51 hours after a horrific triple train accident in Odisha's Balasore killed 275 people, the first train on the section where the accident happened started its journey. The goods train was seen off by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw as scores of mediapersons and railway officials looked on.

The train carrying coal is headed towards Rourkela Steel plant from Vizag port and is running on the same track where the ill-fated Bangalore-Howrah train met with the tragedy on Friday.

"First train movement started after 51 hours of derailment on down line at Bahanga Bazar near Balasore in Odisha. A coal loaded train is headed from Vizag to Rourkela through this route," Ministry of Railways tweeted on Sunday night.

The Howrah-bound train crashed with the capsized bogies of the Coromandel Express which had collided with a stationary freight train seconds earlier.

"Down-line restoration complete. First train movement in section," Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw tweeted, sharing a video of unhindered train movement on railway lines in Balasore in the presence of officials and hundreds of men at work.

The Minister was also seen bowing his head in the form of prayers, along with officials, as the train ran along restored tracks.

"Up-line train movement also started," the Minister later said in a separate post.

Odisha train accident

Three trains -- Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express, Bengaluru-Howrah superfast and a goods train — were involved in a pile-up on Friday, which is being described as one of India’s worst train accidents.

The Odisha government on Sunday revised the triple train accident's death toll to 275 from 288, and put the number of injuries at 1,175.

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