India has suffered one of its worst rail disasters in history, with at least 288 people confirmed dead and over 1,000 injured following the collision of two passenger trains and a freight train near the town of Balasore in the eastern state of Odisha. Rescuers are working to find survivors, but fears are growing that the death toll will rise further as it is believed that many people remain trapped under overturned carriages. Although the cause of the crash is not yet clear, the Indian Minister of Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw, has announced a “high-level” investigation. The accident has led to calls for the authorities to address long-standing rail safety issues in the country, which sees 13 million passengers using the trains daily.
Images of the disaster have shown chaos and devastation, with dozens of mangled bodies lying amongst the wreckage, personal belongings strewn around the carriages, and smashed windows spilling broken glass and metal onto the ground. The accident is one of a growing number that have been blamed on the aging infrastructure and poor maintenance of Indian railways, which has experienced almost 18,000 accidents this year, resulting in the deaths of over 16,000 people. The majority of these incidents, some 67.7%, have been attributed to falls from train and collisions between trains and people on the tracks.
Around one hundred and fifteen ambulances and several fire brigades have been called to the scene to assist with rescue efforts, and the Indian army, National Disaster Response Force and the Odisha rapid action force have also been dispatched. People from the surrounding area have been donating blood en masse and lining up outside local hospitals. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted condolences on the day of the disaster, and today, the state of Odisha will hold a day of mourning for the victims.
The country is currently in the midst of a major review of its infrastructure and transport links, and is investing millions of dollars in upgrading or replacing the country’s increasingly inadequate connections. In February of this year, Modi himself inaugurated the first section of a 1,386km highway that links the capital Delhi with Mumbai’s financial center, and work has begun on the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor, which aims to relieve congestion on the Indian rail network. During 2021, the world’s highest bridge, the Chenab Bridge will also be inaugurated in the Jammu and Kashmir region.
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