Trains have resumed running in both directions after the midnight reopening of the Bahanaga Bazar rail station, the site of one of India’s worst train tragedies. A coal train was the first to rumble past the station, watched by crowds and senior rail officials, marking a crucial step towards restoring service after the catastrophic crash that killed 275 people and injured over 1,200 people. Workers worked tirelessly over the weekend to clear the debris and repair the damaged rail lines.
Although limited to a speed of six miles per hour, some stranded trains were allowed to pass the area on Monday morning, while two affected side lines remained closed. The halt in rail service had also made it difficult for the victims’ families to reach the crash site in Balasore in Odisha State to claim their loved ones, with some using special train services and others travelling by car on Monday.
“Our task is not over,” said Ashwini Vaishnaw, India’s Railway Minister, to reporters. “We need to make sure that family members of the missing people should reach them as early as possible.” According to Pradeep Jena, the chief secretary of Odisha state, about 170 bodies had been identified as of Monday morning, and officials were still receiving calls on helplines, with focus shifting towards formally identifying the remaining victims. “Every paper, every hospital, every reconciliation is very important,” Jena said.
Around 100 bodies are still unclaimed, prompting concerns that they may have to be cremated. Opposition politicians, who are calling for Vaishnaw’s resignation, continue to question the government’s safety measures. Railway authorities have asked the Central Bureau of Investigation to handle the case, which has focused on the malfunctioning of the electronic signal system designed to prevent accidents. Although officials have not ruled out sabotage, they maintain that this was not the cause of the crash. India’s rail network is one of the largest in the world, with a daily capacity of more than 20 million passengers, although spending on safety measures is falling, according to a recent audit.
In recent years, the number of serious train accidents in India has fallen, an indication that rail safety in India has improved. However, this latest tragedy underlines the fact that work must continue to improve safety measures and prevent similar incidents from occurring.
