Mumbai: The Goa-Mumbai Vande Bharat Express was forced to stop near the Kherdi Railway Bridge due to an open railway gate at Kalambaste rail crossing, near Chiplun on Tuesday, March 4. The train came to an abrupt halt upon discovering the gate open.
The incident took place at around 6:30 pm when the express train was en route towards Mumbai. The railway staff manually closed the gate after careful maneuvering, allowing the train to resume its journey toward Mumbai, as per reports.
Similar Situation Faced Recently
This marks the second such incident in the past 15 days, raising concerns over safety on the Konkan Railway route. Fortunately, a major accident was averted once again. The railway gate at Kalambaste is known to cause frequent delays, as it remains closed for 10 to 20 minutes whenever a train passes.
A similar incident occurred just eight days ago due to a technical malfunction that left the gate open, causing major disruption. This inconvenience affects daily commuters travelling to and from Pandheragav, leading to growing demands for the construction of an overbridge in the area.
About Goa-Mumbai Vande Bharat Express
The Goa-Mumbai Vande Bharat Express operates six days a week, excluding Fridays, which are reserved for maintenance. The train consists of eight coaches and covers the 586-kilometer journey in approximately eight hours.
The train follows a schedule where it departs from Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) at 5:35 am, reaching Madgaon at 1:15 pm. The return journey starts at 2:35 pm, arriving at CSMT at 10:25 pm. The train halts at key stations, including Thivim, Kankavli, Ratnagiri, Khed, Panvel, Thane, and Dadar.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Vande Bharat Express service between Goa and Mumbai in June 2023, aiming to enhance connectivity and reduce travel time while travelling in the Konkan region.
