India’s new high speed train has broken down on its first round trip just a day after it was inaugurated by the country’s Prime Minister.
The semi high-speed Vande Bharat Express, India’s fastest train, was on its way back to the capital of Delhi from the city of Varanasi when brakes in a carriage jammed.
Smoke billowed into the last four coaches and power was lost in all sections of the train.
A railway spokesman was quoted by local media as saying that the train could have struck cattle on the line and caused the brakes to jam.
It had been inaugurated by India PM Narendra Modi at a flag ceremony on Friday just a day before it broke down.
The train is expected to cut journey times between Delhi and Varanasi by six hours and can reach speeds of up to 110mph.
Railway officials and journalists who were on the train had to take a different service back to Delhi.
NDTV reported that there were no signs of damage to the front of the train despite the railway ministry’s suggestion that it might have hit cattle.
The public will be able to use the train from Sunday.
