Bikaner Express accident: Railways distrubute ex-gratia amount in record time

A total of 9 passengers died and 36 passengers were injured in the accident

A day after the derailment of the Guwahati-bound Bikaner Express in West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district, the Indian Railways claimes to have disbursed ex gratia to most of the victims of the accident.

In the accident that occurred on Thursday, nine passengers died and 36 were injured.

“Of the nine deceased, five have been identified and their families have been given Rs 5 lakh each. We’ve also given Rs 1 lakh each to the 10 grievously injured people and Rs 25,000 each given to 26 minor injured,” Rajiv Jain, Additional Director General (PR), Indian Railways, told media here.

The railway team made arrangements overnight and ensured payments in the least possible time, he said. The railway board has ordered a high-level investigation by the commissioner of railway safety about the accident.

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Railway Board Chairman V K Thripati visited the spot.

This was the first incident of passenger deaths in an accident after a gap of nearly 34 months. The last time, passenger deaths were reported in an accident on March 22, 2019.

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