VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday expressed shock and grief over the death of 39 persons in the train accident in Vizianagaram district and conveyed his sympathies to the bereaved family members.
Mr. Naidu tweeted: “Families of victims from AP who lost their lives in the railway accident will get ₹5 lakh compensation under Chandranna Bima.”
The Chief Minister ordered a CID inquiry into the incident as the sabotage angle cannot be ruled out.
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The Chief Minister spoke to Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu, Union Petroleum Minister Darmendra Pradhan, and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, and assured all assistance from State government in the relief operations.
Earlier, Mr. Naidu directed the Ministers from North Coastal AP to rush to the area and provide help to the victims.
He asked the District Collectors of Visakhapatnam and Vizianagaram to rush to the spot to initiate relief measures and provide medical assistance to the injured.
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He asked the SP to provide all help to the injured and make arrangements to shift the dead to their respective places.
The Chief Minister also asked the Chief Secretary and the Director-General of Police to keep in touch with their counterparts in Odisha to ensure speedy implementation of relief operations.
APSRTC was asked to ply special buses to shift the stranded passengers from the accident spot.
The Chief Minister also asked Visakhapatnam Divisional Railway Manager to initiate steps to restore rail traffic.
Deputy Chief Minister N. Chinarajappa, Minister Kimidi Mrinalini, MLAs and MLCs visited the accident spot.
Meanwhile, Telugu Desam national general secretary Nara Lokesh and State president Kala Venkat Rao expressed shock over the accident.