New Delhi/Chennai, July 30 (IANS) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J.Jayalalithaa, DMK president M.Karunanidhi, DMDK chief A.Vijayakant and others Monday condoled the death of 35 people, burnt alive in a fire on the New Delhi-Chennai Tamil Nadu Express.
The prime minister also directed the railway ministry to coordinate relief work.
“PM condoles the deaths in a rail accident near Nellore, asks railway ministry to coordinate relief work with the state government,” a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said.
The central government has announced a compensation of Rs.5 lakh each for the families of those killed and Rs.1 lakh each for those seriously injured.
In her message, Jayalalithaa said she has deputed senior ministers and officials to Nellore to offer help to the passengers.
She also announced a solatium of Rs.1 lakh to the families of dead passengers and Rs.25,000 to those who are injured in the accident.
Condoling the death of passengers, Karunanidhi said he was shocked to hear about the accident.
Vijayakant, who is also Leader of Opposition in the Tamil Nadu assembly, urged the railways to focus on passenger safety.
DMK’s parliamentary party leader T.R. Baalu, who heads the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Railways, also condoled the death of passengers.
He said in the next meeting of the committee in New Delhi, measures to prevent the repeat of such accidents would be discussed and the recommendations would be submitted to parliament.
The fire broke out in the S11 coach of the train between 4.30 a.m. and 4.45 a.m. minutes after the Chennai-bound train passed through Nellore railway station in south coastal Andhra Pradesh, about 450 km from Hyderabad.
The cause of the fire, suspected to be an electric short-circuit, is being ascertained.
Twenty-seven injured passengers are undergoing treatment at various hospitals in Nellore.
