In the second such incident in two days, the newly-inaugurated Vande Bharat Express 2.0, which PM Modi launched on 30 September, hit a cow near Anand in Gujarat while on its way to Mumbai on Friday.
The incident took place at 3.49 pm between Kanjari and Anand stations, around 433 km from Mumbai, said Sumit Thakur, chief public relations officer of Western Railway. All the passengers were safe, he added.
Senior PRO Pradeep Sharma said the train resumed its journey within ten minutes after halting.
“RPF inspector Pradeep Sharma posted at Vatva railway station said the FIR was filed under section 147 of the Railways Act, 1989, which deals with unauthorised entry into any part of a railway and misuse of its property,” the official said.
“There is no damage to the train, except a minor dent on Nose Cone Cover of front coach i.e Driver coach. Train is running smoothly. This will be attended at the earliest,” the railways said.
In another incident on October 6, the engine of the newly launched Vande Bharat Express, which was on its way to Gandhinagar in Gujarat from Mumbai, was damaged after the train hit four buffaloes that strayed onto the railway tracks between Vatva and Maninagar stations at 11.15 am. Railway authorities said there was no disruption to rail traffic.
However, the impact killed “two-three buffaloes” and delayed the train “by about half an hour in reaching the Gandhinagar station”, said Jitendra Jayant, senior public relations officer (PRO), Western Railway, Ahmedabad division.
“Two-three buffaloes have died in the Vande Bharat clash. The train got delayed by about half an hour in reaching the Gandhinagar station,” said Jayant. An FIR has been filed in this incident too.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, while speaking at an event at Anand on Friday, said that collisions with cattle on the tracks were unavoidable. The train, which can reach the top speed of 160 kmph, has been designed keeping the possibility in mind, he added.
(With inputs from Milan Sharma)
