WATCH: PM Modi meets survivors in Balasore hospital, reviews situation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Balasore on Saturday to review the situation at the spot of the Odisha train accident.

Modi was received by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Dharmendra Pradhan.

The prime minister held a brief meeting with officials as soon as he reached the site. In the same meeting, officials including Vaishnaw brought him up to speed about the current situation.

He spent around 40 minutes at the crash site before leaving for Cuttak to meet the injured victims.

#WATCH | Odisha: PM Narendra Modi visits a hospital in Balasore to meet the injured victims of #OdishaTrainTragedy. pic.twitter.com/vP5mlj1lEC

— ANI (@ANI) June 3, 2023

PM Modi spoke to Cabinet Secretary and Health Minister from the site. He asked them to ensure all needed help is provided to the injured and their families. He also said that special care must be taken to ensure that the bereaved families don’t face inconvenience and that the affected keep getting the assistance they require.

#WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at the site of #BalasoreTrainAccident to take stock of the situation. #OdishaTrainAccident pic.twitter.com/mxwehPzsZZ

— ANI (@ANI) June 3, 2023

The prime minister’s presence at the accident site is expected to act as a morale booster for the rescue operation teams deployed in the region as well as locals.

Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rail Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw were scheduled to inaugurate Goa’s first Vande Bharat Express. That even, however, now stands cancelled.

The death toll stands at 288 people while over 900 remain gravely injured. The train crash, one of the deadliest in the country, took place in Balasore district about 250 km south of Kolkata and 170 km north of Bhubaneswar around 7 pm on Friday, prompting the Railway Ministry to order a probe.

PM Modi had earlier held a meeting to review the situation amid the massive ongoing relief-and-rescue operation.

Officials in Bhubaneswar said 200 ambulances, 50 buses and 45 mobile health units, besides 1,200 personnel, are working at the accident site.

PM Modi expressed distress over the accident and announced an additional ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured from the PM’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF).

He will be getting in touch with survivors in hospitals and take stalk of the situation.

With inputs from agencies

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