A day after its launch by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi, India’s fastest train, Vande Bharat Express, broke down on Saturday morning, leaving it stranded around 200 kilometres outside Delhi.
The engine-less train, also known as Train 18, was returning from Varanasi after its inaugural run. It resumed its journey at around 8.15 am after being at a halt for almost three hours, railways said,
As per the railway officials, the train began making a “weird noise” after which its brakes jammed in one of the trailing coaches. Four coaches turned ‘dead load’, forcing loco pilots to halt. The train got stranded 15 km from Tundla junction in western Uttar Pradesh.
One of the possible reasons for the snag was the cattle run over., officials added.
According to the reports, People on board the train, including journalists were moved to two other trains.
The train was scheduled to have its first commercial run on Sunday.
Vande Bharat Express has been manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai.
Earlier Railway Minister Piyush Goyal had said that the indigenously built train would complete the distance of 795 km in eight hours.
The 16-coach train will soon start replacing the 30-year-old Shatabdi Express trains and will run between Delhi and Varanasi.
