High drama unfolded at Rani Kamalapati railway station in Bhopal on Monday (November 25) after the Vande Bharat Express, scheduled to depart for Hazrat Nizamuddin in Delhi, was delayed by nearly 11 hours due to a technical malfunction, according to a PTI report.
The semi-high-speed train, which typically departs at 5:40 am, was still at the station by evening, prompting irate passengers to stage a protest on the tracks. They claimed they had not been informed about the delay in advance.
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Hazrat Nizamuddin-Rani Kamalapati Vande Bharat Express cancelled
As a result, the Vande Bharat Express (20172) traveling from Hazrat Nizamuddin to Rani Kamalapati was cancelled for the evening, and similarly, the Vande Bharat Express (20171) from Kamalapati to Nizamuddin was also cancelled the following day, confirmed Harshit Shrivastava, Chief Public Relations Officer of Jabalpur-based West Central Railway (WCR).
Eyewitnesses said the train eventually departed for its destination around 4:30 pm, nearly 11 hours behind schedule. WCR’s Acting Public Relations Officer (Bhopal Division), Naval Agrawal, confirmed the delay, though he was unsure of the exact departure time. He stated that the delay was caused by technical reasons, and passengers were kept informed via various channels, including train-related apps.
Despite the inconvenience, the Railways decided not to cancel the train, prioritising passenger interests, Agrawal said. Many passengers were allowed to board the train for Nizamuddin later in the day.
Why was the Vande Bharat Express train delayed for 11 hours?
The Vande Bharat Express had been delayed due to a technical issue with the C11 coach, where a spring malfunctioned while the train was returning from Hazrat Nizamuddin to Rani Kamalapati on Sunday night at around 10:20 pm. The train was taken to the yard for repairs, but the problem could not be resolved in time for the early morning departure, sources added.
In the meantime, frustrated passengers, after waiting for several hours, attempted to board the Shatabdi Express (which also travels to New Delhi) at around 3:10 pm, but Railway Protection Force personnel stopped them. Several passengers then resorted to squatting on the tracks in protest.