Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw will visit the train accident site at Maynaguri in Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal on Friday. The minister will be accompanied by the chairman and other members of the railway board.
Vaishnaw will arrive in Kolkata on an Air India flight on Thursday night and will stay at the railway guest house.
According to official sources, the minister will travel to Maynaguri by train.
Though no time has been mentioned about his visit to the accident spot, it is believed that the minister would board the train from Howrah station as soon as the smog is cleared.
Sources in the Eastern Railways said that the minister was advised to take a flight. "But he wanted to board the express special train. He would like to see the condition of railway in his own state," they said.
At least 10 people have died so far in the accident where four biggies of the Bikaner express derailed and one of them was plunged into a river. Rescue operation is on, but is hampered due to low visibility and Covid situation in the state. The death toll might increase later in the night.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was in a virtual meeting with chief ministers over Covid situation in the country, spoke to Vaishnaw to take stock of the situation.
