Last night three trains collided in Balasore, Odisha leading to the tragic loss of 240+ lives and hundreds getting injured. Of the three trains, I feel a personal connect to the Coromandel Express, because in 1990 I took the same train from Vizag to reach Chennai. It was for the training program that changed my life because I met Krishnan during that program.
First of all, prayers for a speedy recovery for all those injured. May the departed souls attain sadgati. 🕉️ Shanti. This tragedy must be a very personal loss for the Railway Minister Mr. Ashwini Vaishnaw since he was the collector of Balasore. Ofcourse for Mr. Naveen Patnaik, the CM, it’s a bigger loss. He is a fantastic administrator and am sure he will bring the situation under control, providing the much needed relief to the victims.
For some of us older folks who have travelled more on trains than flights in our younger days, train accidents were a regular feature earlier. Derailments happened almost everyday. People got killed at Railway crossings and delays were just taken for granted.
In the past three to four years we haven’t heard of any train accidents and this tragedy gets amplified against that backdrop. A lot of investment has been made into making the Indian Railways better in every way – speedy electrification, safety features like Kavach to prevent head-on collisions, stations being modernized, bio toilets, CCTVs, dedicated freight corridor and ofcourse the new trains like Vande Bharat and Vistadome.
Amidst all the good news, this tragedy strikes a sombre note, making us all realise that there is so much more to do.
Odisha and The Indian Railways
Just a couple of weeks back on May 18th PM Modi flagged off the Vande Bharat express between Puri and Howrah. GoI also announced Railway Projects worth over ₹8200 Crores for Odisha.
I just hope the investigations are carried out quickly and we know the real cause of the accident. Am sure, the Modi Govt will leave no stone unturned in ensuring safe rail travel in India.
#IndianRailways