Tracks at Odisha Train Accident Site Repaired, Overhead Electrification Underway: Rly Minister

Balasore: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has provided an update regarding the railway tracks at the Balasore accident site. He tweeted that the track linking the Up-line had been repaired and the overhead electrification work had commenced. According to Vaishnaw’s tweet, the Up-line track was restored at 16:45 hours. The restoration of the Down-line, which connects to Howrah, had been mentioned in an earlier tweet by the Railway Minister.

Officials clarified that while at least one set of railway tracks was now suitable for train operations, additional time would be needed to repair all the tracks, including the loop lines, at the Balasore accident site.

Currently, only diesel locomotives can be operated on the two repaired lines until the overhead electric cables are also repaired. It is estimated that the repair work for the electric lines will take approximately three more days.

The devastating triple train tragedy in Balasore, Odisha, resulted in the loss of at least 275 lives and left hundreds injured. This incident, one of the most catastrophic train accidents in Indian history, has ignited discussions about safety measures and the factors contributing to such disasters.

The accident occurred just before Bahanaga Bazar station in the Balasore district, approximately 250 kilometres south of Kolkata and 170 kilometres north of Odisha’s Bhubaneswar.