Rajdhani Express fire near Kota: High-level probe ordered, all passengers safe
Synopsis
A fire in two rear coaches of the Trivandrum-New Delhi Rajdhani Express near Kota on Sunday triggered a high-level probe and a nationwide audit of fire-safety systems across Indian Railways — all passengers escaped unhurt, but the incident halted multiple trains on the busy New Delhi-Mumbai corridor for hours.
Key Takeaways
Fire broke out at 5:15 am on 17 May in the guard coach and AC 3 Tier B-1 coach of Rajdhani Express 12431 near Kota, Rajasthan .
All passengers were evacuated safely; no injuries or casualties were reported among passengers or railway staff.
The train's built-in safety system triggered an automatic halt ; OHE power supply was cut and the affected coaches were detached.
A high-level inquiry has been ordered and a nationwide audit of fire-safety systems across railway coaches launched.
The incident disrupted the New Delhi-Mumbai rail corridor for several hours, with trains including the Mumbai-Jaipur Superfast Express held at stations.
Emergency helplines issued: Kota Enquiry — 6375898943 ; On-site — 09256099269 .
A fire broke out in two rear coaches of the Trivandrum-New Delhi Rajdhani Express (12431) near Kota in Rajasthan in the early hours of Sunday, 17 May, prompting a high-level inquiry and a nationwide audit of fire-safety systems across the Indian Railways network. All passengers in the affected coaches were evacuated safely, with no injuries or casualties reported, according to West Central Railway officials.
What Happened
The fire was detected at approximately 5:15 am in two rear coaches — one guard coach and one AC 3 Tier (B-1) coach — as the train travelled between Luni Richha (LNR) and Vikramgarh Alot (VMA) in the Kota Division. West Central Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Harshit Srivastava confirmed the details in an official statement, identifying the stretch as falling near Nagda of the Kota Division.
The train's built-in safety systems triggered an automatic halt shortly after the fire broke out. The train crew then manually separated the two rear coaches from the rest of the rake, containing the situation before it could escalate.
Immediate Response
Railway personnel cut the Overhead Equipment (OHE) power supply immediately upon detecting the fire, eliminating the risk of electrocution or further ignition. Senior railway officials from Kota rushed to the site, and fire-fighting operations were launched promptly.
'The OHE supply was cut immediately. The affected B-1 coach was detached from the rake. Railway employees and officers rushed to the spot and are engaged in fire-fighting operations,' Srivastava said. He added: 'Situation is fully under control.'
Passengers from the affected coach were deboarded safely and provided refreshments at the site while restoration work was carried out. An additional coach is being attached at Kota station to ensure passengers can continue their onward journey to Hazrat Nizamuddin in New Delhi, where the train was scheduled to arrive at 12:30 pm.
Disruption to Rail Traffic
The incident caused significant disruption to the busy New Delhi-Mumbai rail corridor for several hours. According to the Senior Divisional Railway Manager, multiple trains — including the Mumbai-Jaipur Superfast Express — were held at various stations while tracks were cleared and normal operations restored. The exact duration of the disruption was not specified in official communications.
This comes amid heightened scrutiny of railway safety infrastructure following a series of incidents on India's rail network in recent years.
Nationwide Safety Audit Ordered
Beyond the high-level inquiry into this specific incident, railway authorities have initiated a nationwide audit of fire-safety systems installed in coaches and associated railway infrastructure. The audit is aimed at assessing overall safety preparedness and preventing similar incidents across the network.
The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation. Emergency helpline numbers have been released for passengers and relatives: Kota Enquiry — 6375898943 and On-site — 09256099269.
The 12431 Rajdhani Express had departed from Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala on Friday before the fire broke out during the final leg of its journey on Sunday morning. With the probe underway and a nationwide audit now in motion, the Railways faces fresh pressure to demonstrate that its fire-safety protocols are both functional and consistently enforced across its vast fleet.
Point of View
But the fact that a fire could engulf two coaches of a flagship express train — on a route as heavily monitored as Trivandrum-New Delhi — raises uncomfortable questions about maintenance cycles and inspection rigour. A nationwide audit is the right call, but audits ordered in the aftermath of incidents have a poor track record of producing lasting change on Indian Railways unless tied to accountability benchmarks. The real test will be whether findings are made public and acted upon before the next such incident, not after.
NationPress
1 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to the Rajdhani Express near Kota on 17 May?
A fire broke out in two rear coaches — a guard coach and an AC 3 Tier coach — of the Trivandrum-New Delhi Rajdhani Express (12431) near Kota in Rajasthan at around 5:15 am on 17 May. All passengers were safely evacuated and no injuries or casualties were reported.
Were any passengers injured in the Rajdhani Express fire?
No. West Central Railway confirmed that all passengers in the affected coaches were deboarded safely and there were no injuries or casualties among passengers or railway staff.
What action has Indian Railways taken after the fire?
Railway authorities have ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident and launched a nationwide audit of fire-safety systems installed in coaches and related infrastructure. The affected coaches were detached, and an additional coach is being attached at Kota to enable passengers to continue their journey.
Which trains were affected by the disruption near Kota?
The incident disrupted the busy New Delhi-Mumbai rail corridor for several hours. The Mumbai-Jaipur Superfast Express was among the trains held at various stations while tracks were cleared and normal services restored.
What is the helpline number for passengers affected by the Rajdhani Express fire?
West Central Railway has issued two emergency helpline numbers: Kota Enquiry at 6375898943 and an on-site contact at 09256099269, for passengers and relatives seeking information about the affected section between Luni Richha and Vikramgarh Alot.
