AMN
Chief Minister M.K.Stalin has announced an ex gratia amount of 5 lakh rupees to the families of the deceased and 50,000 rupees to the injured in Balasore Train Accident. The Chief Minister expressed shock and condoled the death of those who lost their lives in the accident.
The State government has also announced a day of mourning and cancelled all government functions today. The Chief Minister along with the Chief Secretary, DGP and higher officials. visited the control centres set up by the State government as 867 passengers had reserved for Chennai on the ill-fated Coromandel Express. He also enquired about the steps taken by the Orissa Government officials over a video call. He also visited the helpline centre set up at Central Railway Station in Chennai. The Government has made arrangements for a special train tonight to carry the passengers of the relatives of the train accident. Arrangements have also been made for the injured and the others involved in the train accident to reach Chennai tomorrow. State Ministers Udhayanidhi Stalin, S.Sivasankar and a team of higher officials have left for Odisha this morning. The Chief Minister is also scheduled to take stock of the situation later in the day.
The Centennial celebration of the DMK Patriarch and former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi which was scheduled for today has been postponed. The Chief Minister along with ministers and the secretaries of the Government observed a minute silence after paying obeisance at the statue of Kalaignar Karunanidhi.
Southern Railway has cancelled several trains today. The Chennai division of Southern Railway has set up helplines in Chennai. 044- 25354711, 044- 25330952,044 -2530953. Helplines at Central Station- 044- 2534148, 044-25330714 & Katpadi Station- 9498651927 Jolarpet Station- 7708061811. State Control Centre- 044- 28447710 & 044- 28447703. As there is a regular flow of patients to CMC Hospital Vellore, a separate helpline desk has been set up at Katpadi Station.