Bandra-Amritsar Express Coaches Detach Twice, Train Delayed 4 Hours

Surat/Mumbai — Panic gripped passengers on board the Bandra Terminus-Amritsar Express (12925) after its coaches detached not once but twice in a single day, exposing glaring cracks in Western Railway’s maintenance system. Though no casualties were reported, the terrifying incident left thousands of passengers shaken and delayed the train’s journey by over four hours.

Coaches Split Near Dahanu and Sanjan

The first incident occurred at 1:19 pm between Vangaon and Dahanu railway stations in Maharashtra, when the A-1 and A-2 coaches separated from the engine side. Just an hour later, at 2:10 pm at Sanjan station in Gujarat, the same train faced another separation.

Passengers described the moments of panic as the compartments lurched violently. “We thought the train had derailed. Families screamed, children cried, and no one knew what was happening,” said Rajesh Tiwari, a passenger traveling with his family.

Railway Officials Call in Emergency Teams

After the second incident, carriage and wagon staff from Valsad were called in, and a locomotive engine was dispatched from Valsad to reconnect the coaches. Continuous announcements were made at nearby stations to calm passengers and reassure them about safety.

A senior Western Railway official downplayed the danger, saying,“It was a technical fault in the coupling. Passenger safety was never compromised, and corrective action was taken immediately.”

However, the explanation did little to pacify travelers, who were left stranded inside the stationary train for hours.

Train Delayed by Over Four Hours

Following the incidents, the railways decided to replace the faulty AC coach at Valsad station. This repair process stretched the delay further, and the train eventually reached Surat station more than four hours late, disrupting onward travel plans for hundreds of passengers.

“I had to attend an urgent business meeting in Surat. Instead, I spent hours sitting helplessly inside a train that could have turned into a disaster. This is negligence,” said Mehul Shah, another passenger.

Serious Questions on Railway Maintenance

The twin incidents have sparked serious questions over Western Railway’s upkeep of long-distance mail and express trains. Experts warn that repeated coupling failures could easily lead to a catastrophic derailment if not fixed immediately.

Railway sources confirmed that a high-level inquiry has been ordered to investigate the technical lapses. Yet for passengers, the damage is already done — their confidence in rail safety has been badly shaken.