Vande Bharat Express train running from Visakhapatnam to Secunderabad collided with cattle near Thallapurupally in Mahabubabad district on Sunday, sustaining minor damage to its front guard before resuming its journey after a short delay. The incident occurred at the 428/11 km mark on the upline track adjacent to Thallapurupally station. Both the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP), along with local police, responded promptly, removed the injured animal from the track, assessed the damage, and cleared the area to allow the train to proceed .
A senior RPF inspector confirmed that the train sustained only minor damage, no passengers were injured, and the service resumed quickly . The regional authorities continue to investigate the circumstances that allowed cattle to access the tracks and are tracing the animal’s owner. This incident spotlights a recurring safety challenge: unmanaged livestock on tracks, particularly in semi-urban areas. Previous cases involving Vande Bharat and other high-speed trains have prompted the RPF to urge local governance bodies to install fencing and implement community awareness initiatives.
Railway officials note that nearly all such incidents result in negligible delay to passengers yet underline a wider risk to passenger safety, infrastructure integrity, and animal welfare. The affordable, reliable Vande Bharat service is increasingly dependent on integrated safety measures. To enhance track security, the RPF has initiated targeted awareness drives in villages along vulnerable corridors, urging community heads to restrain cattle, install barricades, and direct stray animals to shelters. These campaigns complement infrastructure upgrades, such as fencing and cattle grids, though progress remains uneven.
Addressing this issue requires sustained inter-agency collaboration between railways, local police, rural administrations, and communities. Enhanced fencing, improved track maintenance, and proactive local oversight could mitigate these disruptions. As India’s high-speed rail network expands, ensuring track safety in rural and semi-rural environments will be essential. Without coordinated local action, Vande Bharat’s promise of swift and secure travel may be undermined by threats such as stray cattle.
Also Read : Nagpur Prepares To Launch Six-Lane Work On Bhandara Highway Within Three To Four Months
