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The Indian Railways will have to bear a cost of Rs 400 million in damages and compensations on account of the derailment of the Howrah-Delhi Rajdhani Express on September 9 near Gaya in Bihar.
The accident left at least 119 people dead and over 250 injured, with extensive damage to the air-conditioned bogies, railway tracks, and the bridge on which the mishap occurred.
The kin of each dead passenger will receive at least Rs 400,000 while the injured will receive compensation depending on the gravity of their injuries, a railway official said.
Ten coaches of the 18-compartment train have been badly damaged in the accident. At nearly Rs 8 million a bogie, the railways estimate that Rs 60 million will be required just to replace the damaged cars and repair the rest.
The railways have also incurred losses on account of the diversion of traffic from the main Eastern Railway route that passes through the Mughalsarai division.
The 86-year-old bridge on the Dhave River, built by the British, was damaged in the accident and will cost about Rs 70 million to repair.
While relatives of the victims and the survivors have complained of inadequate rescue work, railway officials claim to have spent nearly Rs 7 million on the operation at the site.
The Howrah-Rajdhani Mishap: Full Coverage
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