Chaos and frustration gripped passengers at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) on Sunday afternoon as the Vande Bharat Express (Train No 20706) to Nanded faced a massive six-hour delay, leaving families—many with young children—stranded on the eve of Diwali.

The train, originally scheduled to depart at 1.10 pm, was rescheduled to 7.30 pm after the incoming rake of Solapur–CSMT Vande Bharat was damaged in a cattle run incident near Solapur earlier in the day. The mishap reportedly caused damage to the aerodynamic nose cone—the signature “face” of the Vande Bharat—necessitating inspection and repairs before the set could be cleared for its return journey.