Special train from Chennai to carry kin of accident victims to Odisha

As of now, the accident has claimed the lives of 238 persons and left nearly 900 injured with ongoing rescue operations. Among the deceased, 35 are expected to be from Tamil Nadu.

Chennai Dr MGR Central Railway station on Saturday morning. (Photo | Ashwin Prasath) 

CHENNAI: For the benefit of the family members of the victims of the tragic train mishap in Odisha's Balasore district, a  special train ( 02840)is scheduled to depart from Dr MGR Chennai Central to Bhadrak to help the family members of victims/injured of the train mishap.

The accident involved the Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express, Train No. 12864 Yesvantpur-Howrah Superfast Express, and a goods train. As of now, the accident has claimed the lives of 238 persons and left nearly 900 injured with ongoing rescue operations. Among the deceased, 35 are expected to be from Tamil Nadu. 

According to a press statement from the Southern Railway, the special train will leave MGR Chennai Central railway station at 7:20 pm on Saturday. The relatives of the accident victims can contact the helpline numbers provided by the Chennai division in order to register for travel on the special trains.

The numbers are 044- 25330952, 044-25330953, 044-25354771 and 9003061974. The relatives can also contact the helpdesk at Chennai Central railway station at 044 25354148 & 044 25330714, said the statement from the railways.

A help desk put up at Dr MGR Chennai Central railway station. ( Photo | Ashwin Prasath, EPS)

  
In the meantime, the railways have cancelled the operation of Villupuram Junction – Purulia Express, Thiruvananthapuram Central – Shalimar Express, SMVT Bengaluru  – Kamakhya  AC SuperFast Express, SMVT Bengaluru – Howrah Express and SMVT Bengaluru – Bhagalpur Anga Express on Saturday.  
  
Diversions: 

• Train No.22503  Kanniyakumari Terminus – Dibrugarh Vivek super fast express journey commenced on Saturday and was diverted via Jharsuguda Junction.
• Train No.12508 Silchar – Thiruvananthapuram Express which left Silchar at 7.55 pm on June 1st was diverted to run via Kharagpur – Tata – Rourkela – Jharsuguda – Sambalpur – Singapur Road
• Train No.22504 Dibrugarh – Kanniyakumari Vivek Express which left Dibrugarh at 7.25 pm on June 1st is diverted to run via Kharagpur – Tata – Rourkela – Jharsuguda – Sambalpur
• Train No.22612 New Jalpaiguri – Chennai Central which left New Jalpaiguri at 9.15 pm on June 2nd is diverted to run via Asansol – Anara – Chandil - Rourkela – Jharsuguda – Sambalpur – Singapur Road, added the statement from the railways.