Andhra Train Crash: Death Toll Rises to 14; Railway Minister Announces Compensation

Bhubaneswar: At least 14 people were killed and over 50 injured in a train collision between Alamanda and Kantakapalli stations in Andhra Pradesh on Sunday. The collision occurred when a special passenger train from Visakhapatnam to Palasa came to a halt on the tracks due to a lack of signals, and was rammed into by the Vizag-Raigad passenger train.

Three coaches were derailed in the impact, including the last two coaches of the Visakhapatnam-Palasa train and the locomotive of the Visakhapatnam-Rayagada passenger train. The Vizag-Rayagada locomotive pilot, who was tragically killed in the impact, is being blamed for the collision for allegedly jumping the signal.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the families of the deceased, Rs 2 lakh for grievous injuries, and Rs 50,000 for minor injuries. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also reviewed the situation and pledged an additional Rs 2 lakh for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured.

Efforts to rescue passengers were completed by midnight, and buses and trains were arranged for those stranded. The focus then shifted to restoring the tracks, which was completed by 4 PM. As a result of the collision, 33 trains were cancelled, 22 were diverted to alternate routes bypassing Visakhapatnam, and 11 were partially cancelled. A few train services were also rescheduled to accommodate the situation.