Vande Bharat Express Trains Have 'Very Good' Fire Safety Arrangements: Railway Board Chairman

The Vande Bharat Express has become a synonym of advancement in the Indian Railways, with a lot of initiatives being taken to enhance the travelling experience of the rail passengers. The semi-high speed train, with the highest rail speed in the country, along with features like automatic doors and other modern amenities has become a favourite among rail passengers, travelling on routes where Vande Bharat Express trains are being operated. However, a recent fire incident on one of the rakes of the Vande Bharat train has created safety related fears among travellers. 

Quashing the safety related concerns on the Vande Bharat Trains, the Railway Board Chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti said these semi-high-speed trains have "very good" arrangements on this front. "There are no concerns regarding the safety of passengers in the Vande Bharat trains. There are also very good arrangements for fire prevention in these trains," Lahoti said.

A blaze erupted in the battery box of a coach of the Vande Bharat train heading from Madhya Pradesh capital Bhopal to New Delhi. No one was injured in the incident which occurred on July 17, 2023. The fire that broke out in the Bhopal-Delhi Vande Bharat Express train was confined to the battery box only, videos of which went viral on social media platforms like Twitter.

As good safety arrangements were in place, the blaze was extinguished before it could spread, he said. Asked about the Indore-Bhopal Vande Bharat train finding a few takers, Lahoti said they were taking a review of the issue and would find a solution. The ticket fares of these trains were uniform across the country, he said, adding the seat occupancy in them was more than 95 per cent.

The Bhopal-Delhi Vande Bharat Express, which runs between the Rani Kamplapati Station in Bhopal and New Delhi station in the capital region is the fastest train in India, and clocked 161 kmph top speed on its inaugural run.