AGRA: The country’s fastest train ‘Vande Bharat Express’, while returning to Delhi from Varanasi, suffered glitch near Agra and was delayed for over an hour.According to railway sources, the train's brakes were automatically locked after one of the four pantographs, (an apparatus mounted on the roof of an electric train to collect power through contact with an overhead line) reported malfunctioning. The train suffered glitch at Barhan junction (Agra district) and was stopped at Hathras junction, some 33 km away. Railway officials confirmed that train came to Hathras junction at 8:55 am and departed for Delhi at 10:23 am after rectifying the glitch.Speaking to TOI, CPRO Gaurav Krishna Bansal of north central railway (NCR), said, "The pilots of the engineless train found some technical problem with pantograph number one of the train, after which the alternative pantographs two and three were activated for the further journey. The train was thoroughly inspected before commencing the journey for Delhi.”A source who was involved in the development program of the train, said, “Such small glitches will often come to light for next couple months, as the crew involved in its operation does not have sufficient experience with the new technology used in Train-18 development. There was a need of at least three months trial for inferior/minor commercial service before putting into superior/major commercial service.”Responding to TOI queries on Vande Bharat express trials, CPRO NCR Bansal said, “The train went under extensive trials and was given Confirmatory oscillograph car runs (COCR) clearance for bringing the train into service. Even the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) gave green signal for its operation. The glitch which occurred near Hathras was technical issue not safety issue. The train will starts its commercial operation from February 17.”Sudhansu Mani, the former general manager of Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai under whom train-18 was built from scratch, said, “Some teething troubles in initial runs should not be taken as a crisis; I am sure the feedback of initial runs would be used to make the train trouble-free. In any case, it’s a major rolling stock project executed by ICF on their own, without any transfer of technology and it should be nurtured strongly. It's one of the safest train in its class."Vande Bharat Express, which achieved 180 kmph during trials, will operated at 100-130 kmph. CPRO Bansal said, “The train rolling stocks are capable of 160-180 kmph, but the track between Ghaziabad to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Mughalsarai ) near Varanasi, is only capable of handling 130 kmph. Once the track gets upgraded, the train will achieve its optimum speed.”At present Agra division and Kota division tracks have capability to handle train cruising at 160-190 kmph.

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