Chaos and frustration gripped passengers at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) on Sunday afternoon as the Vande Bharat Express (Train No. 20706) to Nanded faced a massive six-hour delay, leaving families — many with young children — stranded on the eve of Diwali. Claiming that the railway officials were not co-operative, passengers said they had to pay extra money for the waiting hall and other amenities at CSMT as they waited.
The train, originally scheduled to depart at 1.10 pm, was rescheduled to 7.30 pm after the incoming rake of Solapur-CSMT Vande Bharat was damaged in a cattle run incident near Solapur earlier in the day. According to the railway officials, the mishap reportedly caused damage to the aerodynamic nose cone — the signature “face” of the Vande Bharat — necessitating inspection and repairs before the set could be cleared for its return journey.
Passengers at CSMT were left in the lurch, with no alternative arrangements or adequate information provided for several hours. “We only received a message around 10.30 am about the rescheduling, which left us no time to alter our plans. Families with children have been waiting here for hours without food, clarity, or assistance,” said passenger Pradip, who filed a formal complaint in the Central Railway’s Suggestion & Complaint Book (No. 403016).
In his handwritten complaint, Pradip expressed “deep disappointment” with the handling of the situation and sought immediate action from authorities. His requests included the provision of food and lounge access for stranded passengers, a refund of catering charges, and compensation equal to three times the ticket fare for the “mental and physical hardship” caused. He also demanded a written apology and assurance of better communication in the future.
“The delay of a premium service like Vande Bharat on a festival day without proper assistance is unacceptable,” Pradip wrote. “We are stranded here with two kids, and there’s no support or comfort arrangement for passengers,” he said. Railway officials confirmed that the Solapur-bound train was delayed and that technical teams were assessing the extent of damage that occurred during the incident.
Train’s nose cone and underframe suffer damage due to accident earlier
“The nose cone and underframe suffered damage. Safety inspection was necessary before reuse. Passengers were informed well in advance around 10 am,” Dr Swapnil Nila, Central Railway chief spokesperson, told mid-day, adding that the delay was “unavoidable in the interest of passenger safety.”
However, there was visible anger among passengers at CSMT over what they called “poor communication and mismanagement”. Several passengers said that, despite paying a premium for the semi-high-speed service, they were left without even basic amenities for hours. Passenger association groups have also criticised the lack of contingency planning. “Incidents like these bring attention to the urgent need for standby rakes for flagship trains like the Vande Bharat,” said a commuter activist.
