Safety scare: Vande Bharat Express to Bengaluru halts due to ‘hot axle’. What is it and how it happens

A Vande Bharat Express to Bengaluru faced a safety scare when an overheated axle was detected, prompting an emergency stop in Davangere.

Updated on: Jun 28, 2025, 07:20:48 IST

By Yamini C S, Bengaluru

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In a safety scare, a Vande Bharat Express traveling from Dharwad to Bengaluru was brought to a halt at Davangere on Friday afternoon after an overheated axle was identified in coach C4, according to South Western Railway (SWR), news agency PTI reported.

The issue came to light at approximately 3:30 pm, when a level crossing gatekeeper near Amaravati Colony spotted signs of a “hot axle”.

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What is a ‘hot axle’ and how it happens

‘Hot axle’ is a condition where abnormal friction within the axle can produce intense heat, smoke, or even fire. A foreign object lodged near the axle likely caused the friction, a railway official told PTI. Such situations, if not addressed immediately, can pose serious safety risks, he said.

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As a precaution, the train was stopped and carefully inspected at Davangere. In order to reduce disruption for passengers, alternative travel options were quickly arranged. SWR said that travellers were transferred to Jan Shatabdi Express and Jodhpur Express to continue their journey to Bengaluru.

Refreshments were distributed at Arsikere station, and help desks were set up at both KSR Bengaluru (SBC) and Yesvantpur (YPR) stations to provide further assistance. Passengers who were moved to other trains will also receive a fare adjustment refund upon arrival in Bengaluru, officials said.

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A total of 502 passengers were on board at the time of the incident. All were safely accommodated and supported by railway personnel throughout the process.

South Western Railway issued an apology for the disruption and expressed gratitude to passengers for their understanding and cooperation during the unexpected delay.

(With inputs from PTI)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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