The Vande Bharat Express that was being boasted as the fastest train by Modi government broke down at its first commercial run just day after its launch yesterday.
India’s first engine less train was being brought back to New Delhi from Varanasi for its first commercial run on Sunday when the breaks jammed in one of the last coaches. There is uncertainty over Sunday’s first commercial run.
A day after it was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Train 18 broke down early on Saturday, leaving it stranded around 200 kilometres outside Delhi.
The train began making a suspicious noise early Saturday morning after which its wheels skid and the breaks jammed in one of the trailing coaches. Four coaches turned ‘dead load’, forcing loco pilots to halt. The incident took place 15 kilometres from Tundla junction in Uttar Pradesh.
Engineers onboard are in touch with Principal Chief Mechanical Engineer Northern Railway over the unexpected mechanical problems in breaking system and power supply. They are likely to get the Train 18 to the nearest maintenance shed, if not New Delhi.
Due to the breakdown, there is uncertainty over Sunday’s first commercial run.
Train 18 was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday.
