NEW DELHI, November 15: An empty Vande Bharat train allegedly travelled 463 kilometres from Jharkhand to Uttar Pradesh in October despite having an ineffective braking system, prompting South Eastern Railway (SER) to order a detailed investigation into the incident.
The train was reportedly allowed to continue its journey despite repeated warnings from the locomotive pilots about poor brake performance, raising serious concerns over railway safety and the potential risk to other trains.
The incident occurred on October 24, when an empty Vande Bharat chair-car rake was scheduled to be moved from Hatia in Jharkhand to Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh using a freight locomotive.
According to railway officials, the braking system of the Vande Bharat coaches was required to be integrated with that of the locomotive pulling the rake. However, the integration was allegedly not carried out properly, and warnings from the train crew were ignored.
In an order dated November 7, the South Eastern Railway zone directed the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of Ranchi to investigate the lapses.
The order stated that the locomotive pilot conducted a brake feel and brake power test after the train departed from Hatia, in accordance with existing instructions. During the test, however, the pilot found that the train’s braking power was extremely poor and ineffective.
After reaching Ranchi station, the pilot submitted a written complaint to the section controller and traction loco controller, reporting the problem. Despite the warning, the train was allegedly permitted to continue in the same condition.
Another locomotive pilot who operated the train from Muri station also informed the concerned controllers about the poor braking performance. He specifically reported that the brakes could not be applied by dropping the brake pipe (BP) pressure.
The issue was taken seriously only after the train reached Deen Dayal Upadhyaya (DDU) station in Uttar Pradesh’s Chandauli district. Railway staff inspected the rake and found that the braking systems of all the coaches had been isolated, preventing the coaches’ brakes from functioning.
The preliminary findings pointed to possible negligence by carriage and wagon (C&W) staff, section and traction controllers at the concerned stations, as well as the train crew operating the rake between Hatia and DDU.
The investigation noted that C&W staff had failed to physically verify whether the brakes were functioning properly before allowing the rake to depart. It also highlighted that railway controllers allegedly took no corrective action despite receiving reports about the ineffective brakes.
The order further observed that the train crew, being unfamiliar with the Vande Bharat’s braking system, did not physically check whether the brakes were being applied in the coaches.
“From the above, it is evident that there were multiple failures on the part of various staff, resulting in the train being worked without effective train brakes,” the order stated.
According to the findings, the train covered approximately 463 kilometres relying solely on the locomotive’s brakes and regenerative braking, without the functioning braking systems of its coaches.
The railway zone described operating a train without adequate braking power as a serious safety concern that could lead to a major accident, endangering railway staff and passengers and affecting the safety of train operations.
It has directed a detailed investigation to establish individual responsibility and identify the lapses. The order also called for corrective and preventive measures to ensure that such incidents do not recur.
