Vande Bharat Express Takes Wrong Route, Ends Up in Kalyan Instead of Goa

Mumbai (The Uttam Hindu): The Vande Bharat Express, a modern train traveling from Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus to Madgaon, took a wrong turn after leaving Diva station and ended up in Kalyan, instead of continuing towards Panvel. This mishap caused significant disruptions to local train services in Mumbai, and the Vande Bharat Express itself arrived at its destination 90 minutes late. The incident occurred in Thane district of Maharashtra, where the train deviated from its scheduled route. After leaving Diva station, the train veered towards Kalyan instead of heading towards Panvel as planned. Railway authorities were immediately alerted, and the train was rerouted to Kalyan station. From there, it returned to Diva station before finally resuming its journey.

Technical Glitch Behind the Incident

According to railway officials, the Vande Bharat Express was supposed to follow the Diva-Panvel route, which is typically used by trains traveling to Konkan. However, after departing Diva at 6:10 AM, the train mistakenly turned towards Kalyan. The mishap was traced to a signaling issue between the down fast line and the fifth line at Diva Junction. Swapanil Neela, the Chief Public Relations Officer of the Central Railway, stated that a technical glitch in the signaling and telecom system at point number 103 was the cause of the diversion.

Train Stopped for 35 Minutes at Diva Station

This error led to a disruption of local train services in Mumbai. Following the incident, the train was diverted to Kalyan station and then returned to Diva, where it resumed its correct route towards Panvel. The train was halted at Diva Junction for about 35 minutes between 6:10 AM and 6:45 AM. It reached Kalyan station at around 7:04 AM and was brought back to Diva at 7:13 AM via the sixth line.

A Rare Event in a Robust System

The Vande Bharat Express, which began operating on the CSMT-Madgaon route in June 2023, is known for its punctuality. Typically, the train departs Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus at 5:25 AM and is scheduled to reach Madgaon in Goa by 1:10 PM on the same day. The incident was attributed to a rare technical glitch, as Mumbai's suburban automatic signaling system is usually highly reliable, making such occurrences extremely uncommon.