The Vande Bharat Express that runs between New Jalpaiguri and Guwahati came to a screeching halt near the Khalaigram station in Jalpaiguri district on Monday morning and stood there for around one hour and 45 minutes.
The train was then left stranded at the Khalaigram station for over 20 minutes before proceeding to Guwahati.
Sources in the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) have said the train stopped because automatic brakes had been activated.
The semi-high-speed train left NJP on schedule and crossed the Dhupguri station. Vande Bharat was about to cross Khalaigram when it came to a halt near a level crossing at 6.54am. It stood there for one hour and 42 minutes and then entered the station. From Khalaigram, the train couldn’t move for another 22 minutes and then left for Guwahati.
“The loco pilot of Vande Bharat Express informed us that because of a drop in some pressure, the train had come to a halt,” said Bablu Sharma, the station master of Khalaigram.
Later in the day, Sabyasachi De, the chief public relation officer of the NFR, confirmed the halt.
“The automated brakes got activated and hence, the train stopped. We are looking into the issue,” he said.
Because of the delay, the train reached Guwahati around 2.50pm — three hours and 10 minutes behind the scheduled arrival.
However, in the afternoon, it left Guwahati for NJP at the right time, that is, at 4.30pm.
The Vande Bharat Express runs six days a week (barring Tuesday) and leaves NJP at 6.10am. It reaches Guwahati, which is 409km away, at 11.40am.
As the train remained halted at the level crossing, hundreds of commuters who moved through the route near Khalaigram had to face inconveniences.
“Many of us had to take a detour of around 8km to reach their workplaces as the train was standing there for almost two hours,” said Safiul Islam, a local resident.
While the train stood on the tracks, GRP and RPF
personnel arrived as onlookers gathered to take a closer look at the semi-high-speed train.
“Technical experts will examine the train once it reaches NJP,” said a source.
