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| Fifteen die in India train crash | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| At least 15 people were killed and dozens more injured when a passenger train was derailed in the eastern Indian state of Orissa, officials say. | At least 15 people were killed and dozens more injured when a passenger train was derailed in the eastern Indian state of Orissa, officials say. |
| Twelve carriages of the Cormandel Express came off the rails soon after the train left Jajpur Road station near the city of Bhubaneswar, they say. | |
| A number of people may be still trapped in the train. | |
| The cause of the accident is unclear, but reports say the train was travelling at a very high speed. | |
| In a separate development, railway authorities have announced a 2% reduction in passenger rail fares. | |
| The railways ministry has also unveiled plans to bring in more than 40 new trains. | The railways ministry has also unveiled plans to bring in more than 40 new trains. |
| Emergency lighting | |
| The accident happened near the town of Jajpur, some 100km (62 miles) north of the city of Bhubaneswar, officials say. | |
| "At least 15 deaths are confirmed," said JP Mishra, a senior spokesperson for East Coast Railway. "We do not know what caused the accident as yet." | |
| Eyewitness said they feared passengers were trapped in two of the derailed carriages. | Eyewitness said they feared passengers were trapped in two of the derailed carriages. |
| Rescue and medical teams from the Bhubaneswar headquarters of East Coast Railway were rushed to the accident site, officials said. | Rescue and medical teams from the Bhubaneswar headquarters of East Coast Railway were rushed to the accident site, officials said. |
| They have erected emergency lighting to speed up a rescue effort that was initially hampered because the accident took place in the dark. | They have erected emergency lighting to speed up a rescue effort that was initially hampered because the accident took place in the dark. |
| Hundreds of local people are also helping the emergency services. | Hundreds of local people are also helping the emergency services. |
| 'Financial turnaround' | 'Financial turnaround' |
| Meanwhile, Rail Minister Lalu Prasad has announced the interim rail budget for the financial year to March 2010. | |
| He said that slow economic growth, higher wages and lower passenger revenues could reduce income but not investment. | He said that slow economic growth, higher wages and lower passenger revenues could reduce income but not investment. |
| "The same railways which faced a paucity of funds for replacement of over-aged assets in 2001... have now surprised the whole world with a historic financial turnaround," Mr Yadav said. | "The same railways which faced a paucity of funds for replacement of over-aged assets in 2001... have now surprised the whole world with a historic financial turnaround," Mr Yadav said. |
| He predicted that the railways - one of the world's oldest and largest networks transporting about 18 million people a day - would carry 910 million tonnes of freight from 2009 to 2010, up 60 million tonnes from the previous year. | He predicted that the railways - one of the world's oldest and largest networks transporting about 18 million people a day - would carry 910 million tonnes of freight from 2009 to 2010, up 60 million tonnes from the previous year. |