Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday announced free bus services to Kolkata in the wake of the triple train tragedy in Balasore that claimed 288 lives. "Keeping in view the greater benefit of the commuters CM Naveen Patnaik has announced free bus service to Kolkata from Puri, Bhubaneswar and Cuttack from today," the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), Odisha said.
Meanwhile, daily around 50 buses ferry between Kolkata and the above three cities of Odisha. The entire cost will be met from Chief Minister's Relief fund and this arrangement will continue till the restoration of normal train service on the Balasore route, it read. The disastrous train accident has claimed 288 lives so far while over 1,000 people sustained injuries.
Earlier today, Chief Minister Patnaik announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh each to the kin of the deceased of the state. The victims of the train accident are undergoing treatment in various government and private hospitals between Bhubaneswar and Balasore, it further read. On Saturday, Odisha CM reached the accident site and took stock of the situation in Odisha's Balasore where a passenger train collided with a goods train leaving several injured.
Meanwhile, the restoration work is underway at Odisha's Balasore where two passenger trains and a goods carriage were involved in a horrific accident.
The preliminary report on the tragedy said the three-way accident involved Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Coromandel Express and goods trains on three separate tracks at Bahanaga Bazar Station in the Balasore district. As many as 17 coaches of these two passenger trains were derailed and severely damaged in the accident on Friday evening. (ANI)
