Vande Bharat Express Hits Cement Slab On Tracks In Rajasthan

On August 23, the Ahmedabad-Jodhpur Vande Bharat Express encountered an unexpected obstacle on the railway tracks in Rajasthan's Pali district. The train's cattle guard collided with a cement slab that had been placed on the tracks in the Jawai-Biroliya section.

North West Railway's Chief Public Relations Officer, Shashi Kiran, confirmed that no passengers or crew members were harmed in the incident. The train experienced a minor delay of eight minutes due to the obstruction.

Following the event, authorities initiated an investigation. A case has been registered against unidentified individuals based on a complaint filed by the Senior Section Engineer of the Falna region. Local police reported that fragments of the cement slab, typically used in footpath construction, were discovered on the tracks.

The Ahmedabad-Jodhpur Vande Bharat Express operates six days a week, excluding Tuesdays. It departs from Sabarmati Station at 4:45 PM and arrives in Jodhpur at 10:50 PM.

This incident brings to mind a similar occurrence from October of the previous year, when the Udaipur-Jaipur Vande Bharat Express narrowly avoided a major accident. In that case, locomotive pilots had to engage emergency brakes after spotting stones and rods on the tracks, which were later revealed to have been placed there by two children at play.

These events highlight the ongoing challenges faced by railway authorities in ensuring the safety and security of high-speed rail operations in India.