By IANS,
New Delhi : The toll in the train collision in Tamil Nadu could not be ascertained yet, Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi said Wednesday.
He said he was leaving for the accident site, along with Minister of State for Railways K.H. Muniyappa, the Railway Board chairman and other officials, by the first available flight in the morning.
The accident occurred when the Chennai Beach-Vellore electric multiple unit (EMU) train hit the Arakonam-Katpadi passenger train that was waiting for a signal near Arakonam junction in Tamil Nadu’s Vellore district at around 9.30 p.m. At least three bogeys were thrown off the tracks in the collision.
Trivedi announced ex gratia compensation of Rs. 5 lakh for the dead, Rs. 1 lakh for the seriously injured and Rs. 25,000 for the others.
He said he was “disturbed over the incident”.
Trivedi refused to speak about the cause of the incident, noting it was to soon to speculate. He noted the driver of the train that hit the stationary train was alive and under treatement and could provide details.