​Vande Bharat delayed over 4 hrs after pantograph failure at Varanasi Jn

Lucknow: A Vande Bharat Express running from Banaras to Khajuraho was delayed by more than four hours on Sunday after a technical fault developed in its rear pantograph shortly after departure, forcing railway authorities to halt the train at Varanasi Junction for repairs.

Train 26506 left Banaras station (NER) on schedule at 5.15 am but came to a stop at Varanasi Junction (NR) just 13 minutes later when the fault was detected. The station is not a scheduled halt for the service, but officials said the train was stopped as a safety precaution.​

The pantograph, which draws power from overhead electric lines, developed a technical snag that required extensive inspection and repair. Senior officials from Northern Railway’s Lucknow division, including additional divisional railway manager Brijesh Kumar Yadav and station director Arpit Gupta, rushed to the site to oversee restoration efforts. Officials from Northeastern Railway, responsible for the train’s maintenance, also joined the operation.

Railway teams worked for over four hours to rectify the fault and conducted detailed safety checks on the train’s front pantograph before clearing it for service. The train finally resumed its journey at 9.35 am, running 4 hours and 7 minutes behind schedule. At 4 pm, the train reached Khajuraho.

A NR Lucknow division spokesperson said passenger amenities, including air conditioning, refreshments and drinking water, were maintained during the delay. Railway authorities have ordered an inquiry into the incident.