Report flags bovine risk to Vande Bharat trains; calls for safety measures  

Vande Bharat Express faces safety concerns due to cattle run overs, requiring Railways to implement safety measures.

The much-celebrated flagship train of the Indian Railways — the Vande Bharat Express — is prone to serious accidents even in cases of a cattle run over, says a report on railway safety. 

The report, accessed by The Hindu, says the leading coach of the Vande Bharat trains was much lighter than the locomotive (of regular trains) and hitting any obstruction or even cattle run over might lead to a serious accident at higher speeds.

The report generated by the Commission of Railway Safety, Ministry of Civil Aviation, explains the safety measures to be taken by the Railways as regards operation of high-speed trains.

Asking the Ministry of Railways to ensure provision of sturdy fencing to prevent trespassing by human and cattle which posed a threat to the trains, the report said level crossing gates should be eliminated in routes where trains were operated at 160 kmph. 

Railways should identify regular trespassing locations/cattle ingress and devise suitable mechanism such as deployment of Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel, regular patrolling and providing subway to facilitate farmers to cross over with their cattle.

Also read: Soon, seating capacity of Vande Bharat Express to be doubled

Vande Bharat rakes, India’s first semi-high-speed trains, are being manufactured at the Integral Coach Factory, Chennai; Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala; and Modern Coach Factory, Kapurthala, and Raebareli.