VIZIANAGARAM/VISAKHAPATNAM: The toll in the Kantakapalli train mishap in Vizinagaram district of Andhra Pradesh increased to 13 while 50 people were injured. The identity of the eleven deceased has been established while efforts are on to identify the other two.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy will be visiting the accident site and also those injured and undergoing treatment in Vizianagaram. Meanwhile, East Coastal Railway authorities swung into action to restore the damaged track.
According to railway officials, all the affected coaches have been looked into and the locomotive is being lifted now to see for a final round of checking by the NDRF if any bodies are still trapped inside the coaches or the locomotive or in the mangled mess. Four OHE masts, railway electrical infrastructure, have been damaged at the accident site, spanning all three lines.
According to Vizinagaram district officials, two of the eleven deceased identified so far include SMS Rao, loco pilot of Visakhapatnam-Rayagada passenger, and M Srinivas, guard of the Palasa passenger train.
The other deceased were identified as Kanchubaraki Ravi of Gokikommu village, Jami mandal, Vizianagaram district, Gidijala Lakshmi of SP Ramachandrapuram, G Sigadam mandal in Srikakulam district, Karanam Appalnaidu of Kapusambham in Garividi mandal of Vizianagaram district, Challa Sathish of Vizianagaram city, Chintala Krishnam Naidu of Kothavalasa in Vizinagaram district, Pilla Nagaraju from Kapusambham village, Garividi mandal of Vizianagaram district, Tenkala Sugunamma from Mettavala village in G Sigadam mandal, Srikakulam district, Reddi Seetham Naidu of Reddipeta village, Cheepurupalli mandal, Vizianagaram district and Majji Ramu from Gadabavalasa of Garividi mandal, Vizianagaram district.
The incident took place at around 7 p.m. on Sunday when the Visakhapatnam-Rayagada passenger rammed into the Visakhapatnam Palasa Special Passenger while it was waiting for the signal. Two coaches of Palasa passenger and locomotive of the Rayagada passenger derailed. Overshooting of the Rayagada Passenger is said to be the cause of the accident.
Following the accident, several trains have either been cancelled, diverted, or rescheduled by East Coast Railway and South Central Railway.
Expressing shock over the incident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for the kin of the deceased. Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy announced Rs 10 lakh as ex-gratia for the kin of the deceased and Rs 2 lakh each to the injured from the state. He also announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each for the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 each for the injured from other states.
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