A Vande Bharat Express train operating on the Banaras-Khajuraho route experienced a delay of more than four hours on Sunday due to a technical fault in its rear pantograph shortly after departure. The incident forced railway authorities to halt the train at Varanasi Junction for urgent repairs.
Sequence of Events
Train number 26506 departed from Banaras station (NER) on schedule at 5:15 am but came to an unscheduled stop at Varanasi Junction (NR) just 13 minutes later when the fault was detected. Although Varanasi Junction is not a regular halt for this service, officials confirmed that the train was stopped as a safety precaution.
Technical Fault and Response
The pantograph, which draws power from overhead electric lines, developed a technical snag requiring extensive inspection and repair. Senior officials from Northern Railway's Lucknow division, including Additional Divisional Railway Manager Brijesh Kumar Yadav and Station Director Arpit Gupta, rushed to the site to oversee restoration efforts. Officials from Northeastern Railway, responsible for the train's maintenance, also joined the operation.
Railway teams worked for over four hours to rectify the fault and conducted detailed safety checks on the train's front pantograph before clearing it for service. The train finally resumed its journey at 9:35 am, running 4 hours and 7 minutes behind schedule. It reached Khajuraho at 4:00 pm.
Passenger Amenities and Inquiry
A spokesperson from the Northern Railway Lucknow division stated that passenger amenities, including air conditioning, refreshments, and drinking water, were maintained during the delay. Railway authorities have ordered an inquiry into the incident to prevent future occurrences.
