The South Central Railway (SCR) authorities cancelled the Nanded-Mumbai Vande Bharat Express on Thursday due to maintenance issues, leaving passengers stranded at the last moment.
Sudden Cancellation Causes Inconvenience
The train was scheduled to depart from Nanded at 5:20 a.m., but the sudden cancellation caused significant inconvenience to travelers who had already arrived at the station. Many passengers were forced to make alternative travel arrangements at short notice.
Key Stations Affected
Apart from Mumbai, the Vande Bharat Express covers several important stations including Parbhani, Jalna, Aurangabad, Manmad, Nashik, Kalyan, Thane, and Dadar. The cancellation impacted passengers traveling to and from these destinations.
Railway Activist Expresses Concern
Railway activist Raj Somani noted that this is perhaps the first instance of the Nanded-Mumbai Vande Bharat Express being cancelled due to maintenance issues. He expressed shock, stating, "It is shocking that a popular train like Vande Bharat gets cancelled due to maintenance issues. We hope that such lapses do not take place in future at any cost."
Previous Cancellations
This is not the first time the service has been disrupted. Recently, the Vande Bharat Express was cancelled for the Mumbai-Nanded journey on April 28 due to operational issues following the derailment of the Mumbai-Solapur Vande Bharat Express. Prior to that, the Nanded-Mumbai-Nanded Vande Bharat service was cancelled on August 20-21 due to heavy rainfall in Mumbai. Additionally, the train could not operate on June 1-2, 2024, because of yard works in Mumbai.
The repeated cancellations have raised questions about the reliability of the premium train service, which is known for its speed and comfort. Passengers have urged the railway authorities to ensure better maintenance and planning to avoid such disruptions in the future.
