Kanchenjunga Express collision: 9 dead, 60 injured, exgratia Rs. 10 lakhs announced
Nine people were killed and at least 60 injured when the Agartala – Sealdah Kanchanjunga Express collided with a goods train near New Jalpaiguri station in West Bengal this morning. The collision occurred near Rangapani station, approximately seven kilometers from New Jalpaiguri, causing two rear compartments to derail.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia payment of 2 lakh rupees from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of each deceased in the railway mishap.
The injured will receive 50,000 rupees. Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said in a social media post that enhanced ex-gratia compensation will be provided to the victims. He said, 10 lakh rupees in case of death, 2.50 lakh towards grievous and 50,000 rupees for minor injuries.
President Droupadi Murmu extended her condolences and prayers to the bereaved families and wished the injured a swift recovery.
Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee expressed her shock over the incident. She blames the railway Ministry for this accident. The Chief Minister will reach the site by this evening.
Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw visited the train collision site at Rangapani this afternoon to assess the situation. Due to the narrow road, he rode pillion on a motorcycle to reach the accident site. He also visited the hospital to meet the accident victims.
State Governor CV Ananda Bose is also reaching the spot this evening
It has been raining heavily since morning in Siliguri, impacting the rescue operation. The train was travelling from Agartala to Sealdah when the accident occurred around 9 am. As a result, long-distance train services was temporarily stopped.
