An empty Vande Bharat train, reportedly operating with a compromised braking system, traversed a distance of 463 kilometers between Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh in October. The South Eastern Railway zone has initiated an investigation into the incident, which raised concerns about potential risks to other passenger services.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that the concerning event occurred on October 24. This incident predates the derailment of the Kolkata-Sairang Express in Assam on November 11, which investigators noted was attributed to similar negligence.
The railway zone stated that operating a train without adequate brake power constitutes a serious safety hazard that could precipitate a major accident, endangering lives and disrupting railway operations. The empty chair car rake was scheduled for relocation from Hatia in Jharkhand to Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh, to be pulled by a freight locomotive.
Railway officials explained that the Vande Bharat train’s braking system was intended to be synchronized with that of the freight locomotive for the entirety of the journey. However, railway personnel allegedly failed to ensure proper integration and disregarded warnings from the train crew after the issue was identified.
An official order from the South Eastern Railway zone, directing the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of Ranchi to commence a probe, detailed that instructions were issued on October 24 to move an empty Vande Bharat rake from Hatia to Jhansi. According to the statement of the loco pilot, a brake feel and brake power test was conducted after departure from Hatia in the Hatia-Ranchi section, in compliance with prevailing instructions.
The order further noted that during this test, the loco pilot observed that the brake power of the train was significantly poor and ineffective. Upon reaching Ranchi station, the loco pilot submitted a written complaint to railway staff, including the section controller and traction loco controller, concerning the deficient brake power. Despite this report, the train was permitted to continue its journey in the same state.
The order highlighted that another loco pilot, who operated the train from Muri station, also alerted the concerned controllers about the inadequate braking performance. This pilot specifically reported that the brakes were not engaging even when the Brake Pipe (BP) pressure was reduced. It was only upon reaching Deen Dayal Upadhyaya (DDU) station, situated in Uttar Pradesh’s Chandauli district, that railway authorities addressed the issue with seriousness.
Subsequently, officials at DDU inspected the train and discovered that the braking systems across all coaches had been isolated, rendering the brakes inoperative. The preliminary investigation pointed towards negligence on the part of the Coach and Wagon (C&W) staff, along with the section and traction controllers at the relevant stations, as well as the train crew responsible for operating the rake from Hatia to DDU.
The probe also indicated that the C&W staff, whose duty it is to maintain the train, had not conducted a physical check to verify the proper functioning of the brakes before authorizing the departure of the empty rake. The order further stated that the responsible railway staff took no action despite being informed about the poor brake power. Additionally, it was noted that the train crew, being unfamiliar with the Vande Bharat’s specific braking system, failed to physically ascertain whether the brakes were being applied in the coaches.
The order concluded that these findings revealed multiple failures by various staff members, leading to the train operating without effective braking systems. The train reportedly traveled approximately 463 kilometers, relying solely on the locomotive’s brakes and regenerative braking, without the engagement of the coaches’ braking systems. The order requested a detailed investigation to identify the specific lapses by the involved staff and to implement necessary corrective and preventive measures to avert future occurrences of such incidents.
The Chenab Times News Desk
