[Altrozed]

After the Vande Bharat 2.0 started flagging off, the series of stone pelting has increased.
Being a rail activist, I follow Railway Issues closely, more related to VSKP(WAT Division- ECoR zone) and South Central Railway.

I might be crossing the thin line of politics and north-south/East divide but facts has to be represented.
Primary concern of this post is that why is that VB has specifically become a soft target for lunatics or anti social elements.

There are around 10 VB's running across India and 2 running in South India, namely MAS SBC MYS VB and VSKP SC VB.

On daily basis, we track the punctuality of this VSKP VB as its our home based VB and work closely with Railways.

Coming to the count of stone pelting done on our VB, is as follow since flagged off from Sankranti 2023.

In Jan(11th) it was stone pelted at Vizag Yard and those were nabbed in span of few hours. This is the only incident in AP(ECoR limits).
Since then Feb (4th Feb and 10th Feb) and March (7,16 & 17th) , our VB has taken the stone hits.

We have been spreading awareness through various means and yet, this continues to be a soft target.
Due to its tight schedule, it reaches mid night to VSKP And has to be ready by 5am next day for next trip, barring Sunday.


In the VSKP SC Section, it sees all kinds of slow passengers to Premium trains and our VB is the only such to travel.
No other train sees this level of stone pelting. Surprisingly, in and around Khammam, on Fridays, we are seeing this trend and we are lucky if the pelting happens on Saturday trip as Sunday is holiday of VB.

The prime reason what we have thought going wrong against VB is over publicity. It has been publicized as man made marvel which isnt really.
With PM flagging off every VB, has never happened in the history of Railways.

Other unique train which we own is Vistadome which travels in very sensitive route of VSKP Kirandul has seen only one such incident on 12th Sept 2019.

Railway and railway related crimes are usually low in South and specifically in the Erstwhile AP. Such are restricted to part of UP/BH and sensitive Areas of WB
but this stone pelting on VB's is alarmingly increased.

As always, the penalty for the nabbed is too small as per Railway police Acts and the blame is pushed on opposition parties which is definitely a joke.
Divisions have received a kind of Gag order from board that every inaugural has to be done in presence of senior politicians of the ruling.
Earlier for ICF to LHB or a new halt, we used to organize a small event, DRM used to be available and flagging is done by some enthusiasts like us or a senior staff from Clerks Division which politicians involved. Now, this was stopped.

These orders create an uncesessary hype for rakes which are stone pelted for fun or sensation.

We have requested our division to advise to the to tone down the level publicity as dozen VB's are flagged and they are nothing new anymore on Indian Rails.

Rail Fans and enthusiasts here, what else could be the reason for this stone pelting.

[alpha1]

There could also be "just for the fun" factor involved.
Vande Bharat is definitely a different looking train on Indian tracks, and I remember in my childhood visit to village areas (80s and 90s) it used to be one of the pastimes of rural folks (children and teenage) to throw pebbles at moving trains.

[Altrozed]

Fun factor always remains but no other trains are hit. VBs have become target and its a recurring menace and safety at risk.

[tharian]

Stone pelting has happened not just on VB rakes, it has happened mainly on AC coaches. I remember even the old AC coaches had windows that were shattered.
Shatabdi with the LHB coaches when introduced on the Mas-Mys route, had this issue. Couple of months back there was news that the Mas-Mys VB was pelted with stones at KR Puram outer and had few shattered windows.

The reasons can be many, but what I think is the class divide. People who stay beside the tracks see these trains and the people sitting in it every day, relaxing. They probably want to do the same but cannot. The Government does things like this for people who can afford it, but nothing for them and they are still in the trenches.
Some people may be high on substance. There will be kids who do this for pass time and so on.

I remember back in 2002, when the line between Yeshwantpur and Banasawadi in Bangalore was open after gauges conversion, for the first few years, loco pilots used to close the windows of the cabin when travelling this section because there were slum dwellers on the route who had thrown stones and hurt loco pilots. The reason was because that line was silent for many years before trains started running on it again and that annoyed people because of the constant honking and blocking of tracks by trains.

[fordday]

Stone pelting to the moving trains used to happen since long. My family member was hit long back in 1998, because she was sitting beside the open window in Non-AC class.

The reasons can be many as quoted by tharian. Of these the class divide is the most important. Let me give my example. I don't need a reason to buy a ticket and get into VB because it is high class and fancy looking. But those lower folks cannot even imagine to buy a ticket in VB.

We have to accept it. The divide is increasing at a very fast pace everyday.

Originally Posted by tharian

The reasons can be many, but what I think is the class divide. People who stay beside the tracks see these trains and the people sitting in it every day, relaxing. They probably want to do the same but cannot. The Government does things like this for people who can afford it, but nothing for them and they are still in the trenches.
Some people may be high on substance. There will be kids who do this for pass time and so on.

Another point to note is that they know the train won't stop and travellers cannot hit back. They won't do the same to a new fancy looking car.

[shankar.balan]

Stone throwing is a common menace in India.
Long years ago 1997 to be exact I was driving my Gypsy from Thiruvanmiyur to the Tidel Park Road where there used to be a connecting bridge. It was a soft top non ac Gypsy and my windows were open as normal. A slum kid picked up and threw a piece of concrete jelly at me as I was passing. And it hit the edge of the window and ricocheted into the cabin narrowly missing me. I stopped and berated the kid’s parents. Those days life was more reasonable and they of course gave the kid a whack.
Had it happened now and had I stopped to protest, the reaction would certainly have been very different.

In 2014, coming back to Bangalore from Chennai in the Shatabdi Express Exec Coach. We were just pulling in past the Fraser Town area near Bangalore East and Cantonment Station when we were passing the shanty towns alongside the tracks. And there was a sudden loud crack and the big plate glass window next to me just crazed with a big stone thrown at it. It was quite a shock because I was sitting there reading. Luckily the AC coaches being double glazed are able to withstand such things.

As someone said, all this is more of a manifestation of the ‘have-nots’ vs the ‘haves’, and in some cases downright lumpen behaviour and/ or substance abuse and/ or a combination of all of the above.

Sad, but this is India. It may only change when education reaches everyone and the population comes down and corruption reduces and when overall per capita income goes up.

I frankly wont waste time holding my breath for the above.

[fhdowntheline]

Quite frankly, the really "have nots" will worry more about their next meal or work towards it rather than pelt stones. Over the years, most people at varying economic strata have cultivated a sense of entitlement and freedom over responsibility. Those of us who drive vehicles expect stringent action for truck/bus/tempo drivers who violate rules, while we ourselves dont wear seatbelts/helmets and break rules willy nilly. Some of the more brazen ones flaunt their entitlement. It will really take decades for us to mature in that sense as a society. Perhaps we never will.