Bengaluru: Passengers of the Vande Bharat Express between Dharwad and Bengaluru in Karnataka had a narrow escape after sparks and smoke were detected under a coach of the train between Harihar and Davangere on Friday afternoon. The train was then travelling at a speed of nearly 100 km per hour.
This is the first such incident involving a Vande Bharat Express. The 20661/20662 KSR Bengaluru – Dharwad Vande Bharat was flagged-off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 27, 2023.
“The incident happened around 3.40 pm. The loco pilot was alerted and he brought the train to a stop. Fire extinguishers were then used to bring things under control. Passengers were evacuated and accommodated on other trains moving towards Bengaluru. Ticket fares will be refunded,” an official said.
There were 502 passengers on the train when the incident occurred. Officials said that the cause was a ‘hot axle’ under the C4 coach. This occurs due to inadequate lubrication or problems with the wheel bearing. Sparks and smoke are emitted when there is excessive friction. Unless the train is controlled, a ‘hot axle’ can cause derailment.
“There was panic among passengers after the detection of smoke. That is when train staff were alerted. After cooling down the axle, the train was moved to the Davangere station at slow speed. A technical team inspected the damage at the station and declared the train unfit to travel. Passengers were then accommodated on the Janshatabdi and Jodhpur Expresses. The empty rake was sent to the workshop at Harihar,” the official added.
Unlike other trains, a coach from a Vande Bharat can’t be detached. The Vande Bharat Expresses are train sets, with each coach providing traction to the wheels. This allows the train to accelerate and decelerate at a faster rate than other trains.
“It is being checked whether there was any negligence during routine maintenance of the rake. Bearings can also suffer damage due to other causes,” the official said.
