Vizianagaram (Andhra Pradesh): At least six persons are dead and over 40 injured when a passenger train rammed another passenger train between Alamanda and Kantakapalle stations in Vizianagaram-Kottavalasa Rly section of Waltair division of East Coast Railway (ECoR) in Andhra Pradesh on Sunday evening.
This is the third major train accident in the last four months after Odisha and Bihar.
“There was a rear collision between the Visakhapatnam-Palasa passenger train and the Visakhapatnam-Ragada passenger train. Thee coaches were involved in the accident and 10 were injured. Rescue operations are underway. Local administration and NDRF were informed for assistance and ambulances. Accident relief trains reached the site,” the divisional railway manager (DRM), Waltair, said.
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“There was an overshoot of train 08532 Visakhapatnam-Palasa passenger with 08504 Visakhapatnam-Rayagada passenger train, in which at least three coaches of the trains jumped off the track after the accident,” a ECoR zone official said.
The 08504 Visakhapatnam-Rayagada Passenger train collided with the 08532 Visakhapatnam-Palasa Passenger train. The collision led to the derailment of three coaches of the Visakhapatnam-Rayagada train, according to railway officials.
“Bogies derailed after a train travelling along with passengers from Vizianagaram to Raigad hit a passenger train travelling on the same route from Visakapatnam to Palasa,” ECoR CPRO said.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s office took to X (formerly Twitter) and said, “PM Modi spoke to Railway Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw and took stock of the situation in the wake of the unfortunate train derailment between Alamanda and Kantakapalle section.”
“Authorities are providing all possible assistance to those affected. The Prime Minister extends condolences to the bereaved families and prays that the injured recover soon,” the X post said.
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Reacting to the accident, state chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy directed the concerned officers to carry out immediate rescue and relief operations from Visakhapatnam and the nearest districts of Vizianagaram to the scene. All kinds of arrangements in nearby hospitals need to be made to provide good medical care for the injured.
Meanwhile, the railway ministry has issued helpline numbers to assist with the rescue operations.
