Newly launched Puri-Howrah Vande Bharat Express was halted between Dulakhapatna-Manjuri Road Station after the overhead wire was damaged due to thunderstorms and lightning. The train also suffered minor damages.
Purna Chandra Shahu, Station Manager, Bhadrak said, "Front glass and side windows of the driver cabin were damaged due to thunderstorms. There was also a power supply cut. No casualties reported."
Puri-Howrah Vande Bharat Express was stranded between Baitarani Road and Manjuri Road stations in Odisha around 4.30 pm on Sunday after a big tree fell on the train, causing partial damage on the front portion, impacting the overhead electrical equipment, an official said.
A tree fell on the overhead electric line and the train was subsequently hit by it. The train, which was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 18, has been halted due to overhead wire damage.
The tree is said to have fallen due to a storm near Bhadrak.
"The train is expected to resume running in some time," said an official of East Coast Railway (ECoR).
The overhead wire equipment was repaired and a diesel engine would clear (move) the train from the site to Manjuri Road as the pantograph was entangled with the overhead wire, the official said.
After the train is cleared up to Manjuri Road, it will again function with its own engine up to the destination.
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