Bhubaneswar: A technical glitch in the wheel system of the Howrah-Rourkela Vande Bharat Express caused disruptions along the South Eastern Railway route on Wednesday, stranding passengers at Bisra station under Chakradharpur division in Odisha for over an hour and a half.
According to sources, an iron piece reportedly got lodged in the wheel of one of the coaches, prompting officials to halt the train as a precaution around 11.30 am between Bhalulata and Bisra. Railway officials, including Chakradharpur Division Public Relations Inspector Abir Mishra, confirmed that the train was brought to a halt for nearly one hour and 40 minutes after the defect was detected in one of its wheels. A carriage and wagon team from Bondamunda inspected the affected wheel and attempted repairs. Although the obstruction was removed and safety checks were carried out, the original rake could not continue.
South Eastern Railway provided alternative arrangements with travellers offered the option of taking a special train or a passenger service. A special train was arranged from Tatanagar towards Howrah, and a dedicated help desk was set up at Tatanagar station to assist those affected with onward journeys. One passenger recounted being asked to alight at Bisra due to the technical problem and shift to another service referred to as South Bihar Express.
However, railway officials noted that transitioning to these options added an extra delay of up to two hours for travelers.
The breakdown ripple-effect cascaded across the network, forcing the rescheduling of several other services. The Brahmapur-Tatanagar Vande Bharat Express was delayed by one hour, while the Rourkela-Howrah and Puri-Rourkela Vande Bharat operations faced delays of up to two hours.