699 Passengers Safe As Vande Bharat Coach Derails At Pune Diamond Crossing; Railways Orders Probe, Risky Track Removal

Mumbai: A day after a coach of the Vande Bharat Express derailed while entering Pune station, the Railways has ordered a detailed probe and accelerated plans to remove risky diamond crossings across the network.

One trolley derailed at 7.30 pm, no passengers injured

The incident occurred around 7.30 pm on Tuesday when one trolley of the fourth coach of train no. 22225 CSMT–Solapur Vande Bharat derailed at a diamond crossing while entering the platform. No passengers were injured. All 699 passengers were safely shifted to the Deccan Queen, which was arranged as a rescue service. However, four Deccan Queen services ran late due to the disruption.

Central Railway has constituted a multi-departmental committee to investigate the cause of the derailment. The team includes senior officials from safety, electrical, mechanical, signal and telecom, and track departments. “Prima facie, the issue is linked to the diamond crossing. A detailed technical analysis is underway,” a railway official said. The crossing was already slated for an upgrade as part of Pune station’s yard remodelling work.

Focus back on risky diamond crossings and scissors crossovers

The derailment has once again brought focus on non-standard diamond crossings and scissors crossovers, which are considered complex and maintenance-intensive. In March, the Railway Board had issued a circular to assess the feasibility of removing such crossovers. Sources said the board has now cleared a plan to phase them out and replace them with safer track layouts.

Officials said similar crossings across Indian Railways will be replaced on priority to prevent recurrence of such incidents. Restoration work at the site was completed after several hours, and train movements were gradually normalised.

The incident is significant as it involves the country’s flagship semi high-speed train and comes amid a push to modernise infrastructure. The findings of the probe are expected to guide future track design and safety upgrades across busy junctions.

To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/