In the early hours of Sunday, according to officials, a special train from Balasore carrying victims of the horrible accident and derailment on Friday arrived in Chennai. At Chennai’s MGR Central Railway Station, Ma Subramanian, Minister for Health and Family Welfare, and KKSSR Ramachandran, Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management, were on hand to greet the travellers. At a news conference, Ma Subramanian stated that all significant government hospitals had made special medical arrangements to give the passengers with medical care. He added, “Special arrangements have been made at all major government hospitals, with 305 doctors ready to provide medical help to the passengers. 207 ICUs and 250 beds have been arranged at six major government hospitals in Chennai. A medical team has been put together to examine the passengers at the airport as well.”
He added that free buses provided by the state Transport department will take the passengers to their desired destinations.
“All the passengers are safe. Seven of them are nursing minor wounds while 2 more are being treated for serious injuries. We have sent them to Rajiv Gandhi government hospital for X-rays and further treatment,” the minister said.
He added that after receiving treatment, all the passengers will be sent to their respective districts.
“We are monitoring the rescue and relief operation and other activities. Chief Minister MK Stalin is also personally monitoring everything via control rooms. The ministers, who were sent to Odisha, will stay there till the rescue and relief operation is completed,” Subramanian said.
Meanwhile, the official toll in the devastating train accident was pegged at 288 so far, with 1,000 more sustaining injuries. According to a source, 1,175 injured passengers from the Balasore train crash were all admitted to different public and private hospitals. 793 of them have received treatment and been released. 382 passengers are being treated at various public and private hospitals right now. According to the report, two of them are in critical condition. The Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Coromandel Express, and a cargo train were all involved in the three-way collision at Bahanaga Bazar Station in the Balasore district, according to the preliminary report on the disaster. Up to 17 coaches from these two passenger trains were seriously damaged when the accident occurred on Friday night.