BHUBANESWAR: Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday announced a Rs 2 crore package for Bahanaga in Balasore district where the June 2 train crash claimed 292 lives and left over 900 injured.
After inspecting the ongoing restoration work at Bahanaga Bazar station, the minister said, Rs 1 crore has been allotted from his MPLAD fund for peripheral development of the area while another Rs 1 crore will be spent by Indian Railways on the renovation of the local hospital.
Vaishnaw expressed gratitude to the local residents and various welfare organisations for coming to the rescue of injured passengers and becoming the first responders to the mishap. He felicitated some of them for their heroic efforts in saving precious lives.
“It was remarkable the way people of Bahanaga came forward, helped train passengers immediately after the accident and worked with railways and local administration. The world is appreciating their contribution, which is really commendable,” said Vaishnaw.
The minister interacted with the locals about what development works could be undertaken here. He urged people to constitute a local area development committee with some senior citizens and eminent persons as members and submit a list of proposed projects to be undertaken in the villages surrounding Bahanaga Bazaar.
He said the railways would provide assistance for the development of the local hospital and he would request the state government to appoint the required number of doctors and paramedical staff to fill the vacancies.
On the restoration work, Vaishnaw said, tracks have been restored completely and some signalling work is on. Signal cables have been connected after a new gumti (cabin) was set up there and the rest of the work will be completed within the next few days, he said.
The minister later visited the Balasore district headquarters hospital and met doctors and staff who worked overtime and saved the lives of many injured passengers. He also reviewed Balasore railway station development works.