India's first engine-less train set to hit tracks on Oct 29
Chennai, Oct 24 : Train 18, the country's first engine-less train which is being regarded as a successor to the 30-year-old Shatabdi Express, is set to hit the tracks for trials on October 29.
Driven by a self-propulsion module sans a separate locomotive, the train, capable of running at a speed of up to 160 kmph, comes with technical features for enhanced quick acceleration.
The swanky 16-coach prototype without a locomotive (engine) will cut travel time by 15 per cent compared to the Shatabdi.
Developed by the city-based Integral Coach Factory in 18 months, the full AC train is designed in such a way that passengers can have a look at the driver's cabin.
ICF General Manager Sudhanshu Mani told PTI that it cost nearly Rs 100 crore to build the prototype and subsequent production would bring down the cost.
"It will be unveiled on October 29, then it will do three to four days of trial outside the factory and then will be handed over to Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) for further trials," he said.
The self-propelled train, fitted with CCTV cameras, would have two executive compartments in the middle with 52 seats each, whereas trailer coaches would have 78 seats each.
It has a potential to travel up to the speed at 160 kmph as against 130 kmph of Shatabdi and would result in the travel time being reduced by around 15 per cent once the tracks are fit to suit Train 18's speed.
Train 18 has diffused lighting, automatic doors and footsteps besides GPS-based Passenger Information System.
The footstep in a coach's doorway slides outward when the train stops at a station enabling passengers to alight safely with comfort in view of the variation in height between a train's floor and the platform.
Shatabdi was introduced in 1988 and is presently running on over 20 routes connecting metros with other important cities.
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Woman dies by suicide amid alleged social boycott, five booked in Yadgir
Yadgir (Karnataka) (PTI): A 46-year-old woman allegedly died by suicide after facing sustained social boycott and harassment by members of her community, police said on Thursday.
An FIR has been registered in Yadgir district based on the complaint lodged by Yellappa Suryavamshi (50).
Suryavamshi alleged that the victim Kamalamma (46), a resident of Girinagar area in Yadgir, allegedly jumped into the Bhima river near Joladadagi village between the evening of March 14 and the morning of March 15, following alleged mental harassment linked to a social boycott imposed on her family.
Suryavamshi alleged that their family had been ostracised by members of their community over an unverified accusation involving their son.
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“A village panchayat held on September 8, 2025, had directed the family not to interact with a relative and imposed a 10-year social boycott, asking them to vacate the village,” Suryavamshi said in his complaint.
Following the decision, the family had shifted to a rented house in Yadgir town.
However, earlier this month, when the woman returned to their native locality, a group of individuals allegedly confronted her and reiterated the boycott, the FIR said.
“Despite the earlier boycott, she was again prevented from staying in the village and was subjected to continued mental harassment,” the complainant said.
The complainant further alleged that even relatives who offered shelter to the woman were threatened with similar social ostracism.
“Those who gave her refuge were warned of facing a fresh boycott by convening another panchayat,” Suryavamshi alleged.
Unable to bear the alleged humiliation and pressure, the woman is said to have taken the extreme step, police said.
Her body was recovered from the river on March 15 and shifted to the district government hospital mortuary in Yadgir, police said.
Based on the complaint, a case has been registered against five individuals under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), police said, adding that further investigation is underway.
