Vande Bharat Record: After all, how did the Vande Bharat train, considered the pride of the country, create such a record due to a technical mistake, which even the railway officials were surprised to hear? Was this the result of a mistake or a major flaw in the planning? Know the whole story of this strange journey.
Vande Bharat Record Journey: Vande Bharat train, which is called the pride of Indian Railways, once came into headlines due to its own technical fault. While this train is known for speed, comfort and modern technology, this time it broke a record – but not proudly, by mistake Vande Bharat Special (09401) train from Sabarmati to Gurgaon had to travel a long distance of 28 hours due to a mistake which was actually supposed to be completed in just 15 hours. The reason was that the pantograph of the train was not able to reach the overhead wire.
Why did Vande Bharat train get stuck?
Actually, the Railways sent this train to a track where the overhead electric wires (OHE) were higher than normal. These high wires are used for double-stack container freight trains so that they can pass easily. But passenger trains like Vande Bharat were not designed for such heights. This was the mistake! The low-reach pantograph on the train could not contact the high wires, and the train stopped midway.
What is pantograph and why is there a problem?
Pantograph is a metal structure which is installed on the roof of the train and receives electricity from above. When the wires are too high and the pantograph is short, the train does not get power and this is what happened with Vande Bharat.
How did this mistake become a ‘record’ trip?
After the train stopped near Mehsana, railway officials immediately found a new route. Now the train was diverted and sent through the long route of Ahmedabad-Udaipur-Kota-Jaipur-Mathura.
Result?
- Total distance 1,400 kilometers
- 28 hour journey
- And Vande Bharat’s longest journey so far!
- However, this record did not become a cause for celebration, rather it became an example of technical negligence on the part of the Railways.
Was it a planning mistake or a technical mistake?
Railway officials admitted that this was a basic technical mistake which should have been investigated earlier. A senior officer said- “It would never have been possible to run Vande Bharat on the high OHE section without high-reach pantograph.”
How was the experience of the passengers?
For the passengers who were expecting speed and comfort, this journey became a test of patience and waiting. People even called it a “record of blunder” on social media.
Lessons for Railways
This incident shows that even the most modern train can crawl if run without proper planning and checking. For Indian Railways, this is a lesson of “responsibility rather than technology”. A senior official admitted that this was a basic technical error. “It would never have been possible to send this train on that route without the high-reach pantograph,” he said. This incident made it clear that lack of planning and preparation can make even the most high-tech train slow.