Mumbai: The newly inaugurated Mumbai-Gandhinagar Vande Bharat Express train on Thursday morning suffered minor damage after hitting a herd of buffaloes in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad, Railways officials said.
The incident occurred around 11.15 am between Vatva and Giratpur areas of Ahmedabad and the front portion of the engine was damaged, but no functional part of the train was harmed, said a Western Railway spokesperson.
Four buffaloes were killed in the incident, but no passenger was injured.
“A herd of buffaloes suddenly came on the way of the Vande Bharat Express running between Mumbai Central and Gandhinagar Capital stations, damaging the nose made up of FRP (fibre-reinforced plastic),” said the spokesperson. “However, it did not impact the functioning of the train. The train left for Gandhinagar just after removing carcasses (within eight minutes).”
A Western Railway official said the train was scheduled to reach Gandhinagar Capital at 12.25 pm, but it arrived at the station four minutes early. The train departed for Mumbai (on return journey) from Gandhinagar Capital at its scheduled time (in the afternoon).
The semi-high speed train under the Vande Bharat series, indigenously designed and manufactured, was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Gandhinagar Capital on September 30. Its commercial run started from October 1.
Railway authorities were trying to counsel nearby villagers not to leave their cattle near the track, an official said.
{{/usCountry}}Railway authorities were trying to counsel nearby villagers not to leave their cattle near the track, an official said.
{{/usCountry}}“The buffaloes were spotted suddenly at a blind spot right after a turn. The train was running at per the sanctioned speed,” added the official from Western Railway. “At present, we only have fencing along the tracks till Virar. Fencing of the rest of the route is under progress.”