Greek Trains Resume After Rail Disaster: Operator
Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir) Published March 22, 2023 | 06:00 PM
Athens, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Mar, 2023 ) :Some intercity rail travel resumed in Greece on Wednesday for the first time since a head-on collision killed 57 people in the nation's worst rail disaster more than three weeks ago, operator Hellenic Train said.
Several passenger services were back on from early morning.
But the mainline where the crash happened on February 28 -- the country's busiest, spanning 600 kilometres (370 miles) from Athens to the second-largest city of Thessaloniki in the north -- will not reopen until April 1, acting Transport Minister Georgios Gerapetritis said.
Trains were running again from the capital's Piraeus seaport to the international airport, as well as links between Athens and Chalcis on the island of Evia. Two other local services in the Peloponnese region have also started up again, Hellenic said.
The return to a full regular schedule of train services will take five weeks.
The disaster sparked weeks of angry and occasionally violent protests, piling pressure on the conservative government of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis ahead of elections due in May.
Most of the victims were university students returning from a long holiday weekend.
Greece's transport minister resigned after the disaster.
The stationmaster on duty during the accident and three other railway officials have been charged and face possible life sentences.
Greece's rail watchdog found serious safety problems across the network, including inadequate basic training of critical staff.
Panagiotis Terezakis, the new director general of the state-owned Hellenic Railways Organisation (OSE) that owns the network, said Wednesday the company "would do everything humanly possible to win back our passengers' confidence".
"We have to move forward after the tragic event that has shaken us all," he told journalists.
On Tuesday, train drivers called for safety assurances including better monitoring of rail crossings, improved tunnel lighting, bridge inspection data and the removal of debris and overgrown vegetation from tracks.
Railway unions had long warned the network was underfunded, understaffed and accident-prone after a decade of spending cuts.
The drivers' union said Tuesday that repeated warnings were "downplayed or not taken seriously."At the peak of the demonstrations, more than 65,000 people took to the streets nationwide demanding accountability and calling for Mitsotakis's resignation, with some accusing the government of being "murderers".
Many Greeks have been alarmed at the decay of public services amid large-scale privatisation, including passenger and freight trains, to pay off debts stemming from the country's 2009-2018 debt crisis.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
Law Minister expresses Govt's resolve to address issue of missing persons
Rizwan’s batting order may be changed: Sources
Nawaz Sharif to visit Guangzhou exhibition in China
FM Dar not traveling to China: Foreign Office
PM takes notice of deliberate delay in tax cases
Iranian President visits Allama Iqbal’s mausoleum
Iranian President arrives in Lahore today
Currency Rate In Pakistan - Dollar, Euro, Pound, Riyal Rates On 23 April 2024
Today Gold Rate in Pakistan 23 April 2024
Islam enlightened world with its teachings about knowledge: Dr Jamileh
Record London close as oil prices drop on easing Middle East fears
TV tower in Kharkiv struck as Russia captured village
More Stories From Miscellaneous
-
Iranian president Raisi given guard of honour at PM House
1 day ago -
Intellectuals, writers accolades Naseer Mirza on his literary contribution
2 days ago -
Bahawalpur Adabi Sangat hosts memorable mushaira
2 days ago -
Cattle farming vital to alleviate poverty in rural areas
2 days ago -
Pakistan: A land of tourism, archeological wonders
2 days ago -
Transforming education sector: from job hunters to job creators
4 days ago
-
Amjad Bobby remembered on 19th death anniversary for timeless contributions to music
8 days ago -
Legendary actor Nadeem’s 26 films released on Eid-ul-Fitr days in 50 years
9 days ago -
Besant Hall Cultural Centre to celebrate evening with Sanam Marvi on 26 April
9 days ago -
Radio Bahawalpur presents program “Eidi Shidi”
12 days ago -
Radio Bahawalpur to broadcast Eid programs
14 days ago -
DC, DPO Haripur inspect bus terminals to review fares compliance
16 days ago