Train18 Attacked With Stones, Windows Smashed; Fastest Train Set to Debut on December 29!

It was 20th December when the fastest train of India, Train 18 was on its first ever trial run. The train traveled from Delhi to Agra at 180 km/hr and what happened next will turn you white with rage: on its journey, it was pelted with stones, breaking the window of one of its coaches.

Train 18 to be inaugurated on December 29

Train 18, set to be flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 29 is India’s fastest train ever. It will travel from Delhi to Varanasi as its debut ride. This train is set to replace Shatabdi and has beaten Gatiman Express, which ran at a speed of160 km/hr.

It is also the first Indian train to run without an engine and it is equipped with some ultra modern facilities. Onboard wifi, GPS based passenger information system, LED lighting, mobile charging points, a climate control system that adjusts the temperature according to occupancy and weather, touch-free bio-vacuum toilets and LED lighting.

Train 18 also boasts of two executive compartments and trailer coaches too. The executive compartments will have 52 seats each and the trailer coaches will have 78 seats each. A feather in its crown is that the executive coach will have seats that rotate according to the direction of the train.

The Ugly Face of Indian Society

What can be only called an utterly horrifying and disgraceful incident, one of the couches of the 100 crore train was shattered by the stones pelted on the Train 18 during its trial run on December 20.

Sudhanshu Mani, the General Manager of the ICF, posted a photo of the broken glass pane along with the post on his Twitter account.

We agree with the ICF Spokesperson, G.V. Venkatesan, who said, “Such acts of vandalizing public property such as trains, railway stations are condemnable, in particular, a prestigious brand new train such as Train 18. The public are requested to desist from vandalizing railway properties including trains, railway stations and defacing them. After all, it is the public property that belongs to them.”

While the officials confirmed that they are investigating into the matter, vandalism of the train by the public on a mere trial run speaks volumes about the gradually degrading mentality possessed by some people. This incident has also proven that the government is not at fault, it is the public who is at fault too.

From damaging LEDs and stealing the headphones and on the Tejas Express to damaging trains initially meant for our comfort and convenience – what have we come to?