PTC Web Desk: A major mishap was averted at Ludhiana Railway Station on Saturday morning when a coach of a Vaishno Devi-bound special train developed a technical fault shortly after departing from the station, triggering panic among passengers. The incident involved the New Delhi–Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Special (04081), which was carrying around 1,200 passengers.

According to railway officials, a loud noise was heard as the train began moving out of Ludhiana station at around 9 am. Passengers rushed out of the affected coaches amid fears of an explosion.

Initial reports suggested that a toilet section of the sleeper coach had broken apart, leading to speculation about a blast. However, railway authorities later clarified that the incident was caused by a technical failure and not by any explosion.

Ludhiana ADCP Sameer Verma said preliminary investigations revealed that a portion of the S-2 coach near the washroom area had developed a structural failure. Railway engineers suspect a welding failure, which may have caused the panel to crack and separate.

"The noise created panic among passengers, but there was no explosion. All passengers are safe and no injuries have been reported," Verma said, urging people not to spread rumours.

Railway staff immediately halted the train and evacuated passengers from the affected coaches as a precautionary measure.

Railway orders technical investigation

Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), Ferozepur Division, Sanjeev Kumar, said the train had arrived at Ludhiana at 8.47 am and was departing after a brief halt when the fault was detected.

According to the DRM, a panel in the S-2 coach suffered damage as the train started moving. The onboard staff acted promptly and stopped the train before the situation could escalate.

"The source of the loud sound and the exact reason behind the failure will be established after a detailed technical examination. The coach involved is around 15 years old, while railway coaches are generally designed for a service life of up to 25 years," Kumar said.

Railway authorities detached the affected coaches and initiated arrangements to resume the train's journey. Most passengers were accommodated in replacement coaches, while some remaining travellers were shifted to other trains, including the Malwa Express.