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.
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. 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 and Complaint Book.
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’s rake had been delayed due to the cattle run incident and said technical teams were assessing the extent of damage.
“The nose cone and underframe suffered minor damage. Safety inspection was necessary before reuse,” Dr Swapnil Nila, Central Railway Chief Spokesperson, told mid-day.com, 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 highlight the urgent need for standby rakes for flagship trains like the Vande Bharat,” said a commuter activist.
