Gory accident survivors still in shock, recount horror on reaching Chennai
CHENNAI: The early morning of every Sunday at Chennai Central railway station used be a silent and laid-back. But, the Sunday on June 4 was not a usual weekend as the special train from Odisha to Chennai carrying injured passengers from the derailed Coromandel Express arrived. The ambulance sound, the rushing up of wheelchairs to transport injured passengers, the clumsy voices of support staff, crying sounds of relatives who saw their loved ones after tragic hours, all these scenes have changed the place hectic and frenetic.
“Still, I have not come out of the shock which I went through. The accident happened in a fraction of second, I can’t explain the gory scenes I have witnessed, everywhere I saw was nothing but blood and mutilated bodies. The screams and voices of the people are still echoing in my ear. It would take some days for me to become normal,” M Rajesh, a passenger from the train said while sharing his horrible experience.
Rajesh was one of the 137 passengers the Tamil Nadu government has safely transported to Chennai. They were traveling in the ill-fated Coromandel Express on June 2.
Rajesh is a truck driver from Royapuram, Chennai. He and his team of six other drivers went to Bangladesh border on June 2 to deliver some goods in the truck. They booked tickets the same day on the Coromandel Express to reach Chennai. Unfortunately, the train derailed and ended up in one of the worst tragic accidents.
“The accident left me in mental trauma. Don’t know that I prefer trains to travel in my life hereafter. I was even scared to board this special train. Whenever I hear some noise it gives me shivers,” added Rajesh.
“It is a man-made disaster and that could have been avoided,” fumed another passenger Samsudheen from Payyanur Kerala. He was returning in Coromandel Express with his family after meeting his son in Kolkata.
He added, “I have crossed 45 years, but I have never seen a harrowing accident like this in my lifetime.” The Kerala government has arranged a special service to take care of him and his family to reach back.
State Health and Family Welfare Minister Ma Subramanian and Revenue and Disaster Management Minister KKSSR Ramachandran received the injured passengers with their teams.
As many as 290 passengers, who met with the tragic accident boarded the train and other than 137 had disembarked at various stations on the way. The train departed from Bhadrak railway station Odisha on June 3 and reached Chennai central railway station at 4:45 am, on Sunday.
A medical team with 36 doctors and 30 medical staff examined and provided first aid to the passengers. Some passengers with major injuries were transported to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital through ambulances. Nearly, 20 ambulances were stationed at Central railway station which was used to transport the passengers with major injuries to the hospitals.
More than 207 ICU beds have been set up in 6 government hospitals, including RGGGH, Omandurar multi-specialty hospital, and Stanley government Hospital to provide utmost care and treatment to the passengers, said Subramanian. A special medical team was stationed in Chennai international airport to treat the passengers who reach the city by flight, he added.
The Revenue Department has arranged transport facility for the passengers to reach their homes.
A special medical team was stationed in Chennai airport to treat the passengers who reach the city by flight