A picture of Vande Bharat Express purportedly showing the train engine protected by a crash guard has been shared on social media platforms falsely claiming that it shows how the BJP-led central government made an effort to protect the train from accidents.
BOOM found the photo to be digitally altered and the Vande Bharat express does not have a crash guard to protect against accidents.
The Vande Bharat Express, made under the 'Make in India' initiative, has encountered damage several times following head-on collisions over its track. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, speaking on the issue, commented that such accidents will be difficult to be averted with trains that run at high speeds, unless the railway tracks are elevated. He also mentioned that the ministry has a plan to elevate to tracks in the upcoming years and the train's design is capable of surviving accidents.
Y Sathish Reddy, social media convenor of Telangana Rashtra Samithi, tweeted a collage of the viral photograph along with a picture of damaged Vande Bharat Express train engine criticising the BJP-led government.
The tweet caption reads, "100 problems, 1 solution".
Click here to view the tweet.
The photo is being shared on Facebook claiming the same.
Click here to view the post.
Fact Check
BOOM ran a reverse image search on the picture and found the original photograph was published in a The Hindu article on October 7, 2022. The image, however, does not show any such metal guard installed in front of the train engine to protect it from an accident.
A comparison between the viral picture and the original photo can be seen below.
The report states, "The front portion of the Mumbai-Gandhinagar Vande Bharat Express train, which was damaged after hitting some buffaloes in Gujarat, has been replaced here by the railway authorities, an official said on Friday."
It further adds, "The nose of the newly-launched Mumbai Central-Gandhinagar Vande Bharat Express train had suffered damage after it hit a herd of buffaloes around 11.15 am on Thursday near Ahmedabad, when the train was on its way to Gandhinagar."
Journalist Rajendra B. Aklekar posted a collage of videos and photographs of the repaired train engine on October 7, 2022.
He wrote, "Broken Vande Bharat Express train fixed overnight, back at work. These are pics at 4am of Coach Care Centre, Mumbai Central. Kudos to the Divisional Railway Manager- Mumbai Division of Western Railway and his team."
Click here to view the tweet.