India's fastest train, Vande Bharat Express, breaks down day after launch by PM Narendra Modi

New Delhi: India’s first indigenously built semi-high speed train Vande Bharat Express ran into trouble early Saturday. The officials called it a case of "skidding wheels" and engineers are trying to find out more about the breakdown. The incident occurred around 15 kilometres from Tundla junction in Uttar Pradesh. The train was flagged off by PM Narendra Modi yesterday and was coming back from Varanasi to get ready for its first commercial run on February 17. "It was a case of skidding wheels after the train ran over cattle. Engineers are looking into it," Northern Railway CPRO Deepak Kumar told ANI. According to media inputs, several journalists were present on the train and when it was stuck near Tundla for over an hour. After clearing the obstacles, the train resumed its journey to Delhi at around 8:15 am. The train departed from Varanasi Junction at 10.30 pm for Delhi, nearly 45 minutes after reaching the holy city on its inaugural journey, reported ANI. "This disruption appears to be because of possible cattle run over. The train was returning at night and a cattle run over is a possibility at odd times," Railway Spokesperson Smita Vats Sharma said, clarifying that this was not a commercial run. Earlier known as Train 18, it was renamed as Vande Bharat Express by Railway Minister Piyush Goyal. The train has been developed indigenously at Integral Coach Factory, Chennai and has earned the tag of India's fastest train for running at the speed of over 180 kmph during a trial run between Delhi-Mumbai Rajdhani route. Source: Times Now