Indian Railways Launches Urgent Safety Drive After Train Coach Crack Discovered
NEW DELHI — The Ministry of Railways has initiated a stringent, nationwide safety drive after a crack was detected in a sleeper coach of the Delhi–Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Special train at Ludhiana on June 6, 2026. Under the new directive, all Integral Coach Factory (ICF) coaches will undergo rigorous inspections within the week, utilizing endoscopy cameras and ultrasonic thickness gauges to detect critical rust and corrosion. Officials from headquarters, workshops, and divisions will conduct super-checks, and any coaches found with excessive damage will be immediately withdrawn from service. Additionally, all periodic overhauling workshops face a mandatory audit within the month, and Standard Operating Protocols (SOPs) are being simplified to accelerate the condemnation of severely corroded or financially unviable coaches.
