India is currently grappling with one of its most catastrophic train disasters on record.
A minimum of 275 individuals lost their lives, and upwards of 1,000 sustained injuries when the Coromandel Express, a passenger train, crashed into a stationary cargo train. The collision caused passenger cars to overturn, which were subsequently hit by the Howrah Express, a high-speed train moving in the opposing direction.
A significant number of casualties remain unidentified, and the local government is wrestling with the immense magnitude of this tragedy.
In an attempt to aid families in identifying their deceased loved ones, over 160 photographs of the victims, many of whom suffered brutal injuries, were released by the state authorities on Sunday.
The Railways Minister of India, Ashwini Vaishnaw, expressed his commitment to ensuring the speedy reunification of families with their missing members. "Our duty does not end here," he stated.
Medical professionals at nearby hospitals have been tirelessly working to provide treatment for the numerous injured individuals.
"Unthinkable injuries" Per senior railway officers, the Coromandel Express, a rapid transit train en route from Kolkata to Chennai, was re-routed onto a side track, resulting in its collision with a stationary freight train at the Bahanaga Bazar railway station.
The carriages of the Coromandel Express derailed onto the track on the opposite side, where they were hit by an oncoming rapid transit train, the Howrah Express, commuting from Bangalore.
A significant number of passengers were migrant workers traveling to Chennai, a bustling city located in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, known for its abundant employment opportunities.
Eyewitnesses recollect the horrifying sight of overcrowded carriages tumbling and flipping due to the impact of the crash.
On Sunday, workers battled extreme heat to clear the disaster site, with the scene strewn with passengers' possessions, twisted metal, and burnt train carriages.
Under-resourced and poorly maintained Growing resentment within India, now the world's most populated country, has intensified calls for a thorough review of the safety measures in the nation's railway system, which caters to over 13 million commuters daily.
India boasts one of the world's most expansive rail networks, spanning over 67,000 miles and running approximately 11,000 trains daily. This network, established over 160 years ago during the British colonial era, is a testament to the country's rich history.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who rose to power in 2014 with a vision of an improved future, has prioritized the revamp of India's transport infrastructure in his campaign to establish a $5 trillion economy by 2025.
In the current fiscal year, the government has increased capital expenditure to $122 billion, equivalent to 1.7% of India's GDP, on infrastructure projects including airports, road and highway construction. However, prolonged neglect has led to the degradation of several rail tracks.
As per the most recent statistics from the National Crime Records Bureau, almost 18,000 railway mishaps occurred in 2021, claiming over 16,000 lives. Approximately 70% of these accidents were attributed to individuals falling from trains and collisions between trains and individuals on the tracks.
Significant rail accidents in India's recent past include the 2005 incident in Andhra Pradesh, where at least 102 individuals lost their lives when a passenger train derailed while attempting to traverse flood-affected tracks, and the 2011 incident in Uttar Pradesh, where a train derailment resulted in numerous casualties. The 2016 Uttar Pradesh derailment is another notorious event, which resulted in the deaths of more than 140 people.