Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has sanctioned Rs 1 crore for Bahanaga Bazar in Odisha’s Balasore district, where a recent train disaster left 293 people dead, officials said. Vaishnaw approved the amount based on the interaction he had with the locals last month, they said.

Out of a total of Rs 1.55 crore sanctioned by the minister, Rs 1 crore is meant for the development of Bahanaga Bazar and its adjacent villages, the officials said. During his visit in June, the minister had praised the local people for coming forward in the rescue and relief operations in the aftermath of the triple train accident.

The Chennai-bound Coromandel Express, Howrah-bound SMVP Superfast Express from Bengaluru and a goods train were involved in one of the country’s worst rail accidents near Bahanaga Bazar railway station on June 2.