MUMBAI: The Mumbai-Gandhinagar Vande Bharat Express that got damaged after hitting buffaloes has been repaired within 24 hours. The accident occurred yesterday morning at 11.15 am, after being inaugurated last week.

The damaged front part was replaced at the Mumbai Central depot within 24 hours of the accident.

Western Railway Chief Public Officer, Sumith Thakur said that the cone cover and mounting bracket of the driver coach got damaged in the accident. However, the main parts did not sustain damage. The damaged nose cone was replaced at Mumbai Central’s Coach Care Centre.

The damaged area is built with Fibre Reinforcement Plastic (FRP). The front nose part of the train is covered with FRP so that any blows in accidents, like the one that happened yesterday, can be cushioned by the plastic covering. This can be replaced immediately also.

As these types of accidents were expected, enough spare parts are stored at Mumbai Central.

The accident occurred in the Vatva and Maninagar areas in Ahmadabad. After the accident, the train completed its service to Gandhinagar Capital Station and returned back to Mumbai Central, without the panel.

India had locally manufactured the semi-high-speed Vande Bharat Express. On 30 September, Prime Minister flagged off the third series of Vande Bharat Express from Gandhinagar.