Vande Bharat Water Leak:A viral video circulating on social media sparked fresh concerns yesterday when passengers aboard the Varanasi–New Delhi Vande Bharat Express (Train No. 22415) were drenched as water began leaking from the roof of coach C‑7. Shared by traveler Darshil Mishra on X, the clip shows water dripping onto seats and luggage, with passengers visibly shocked and complaining of malfunctioning air conditioning and wet interiors despite paying premium fares .
Mishra commented on the ordeal:
“AC not working and water leakage on VandeBharat train. Extremely uncomfortable journey despite premium fare. Multiple complaints lodged but no action taken,”
AC not working and water leakage in #VandeBharat train. Extremely uncomfortable journey despite premium fare. Multiple complaints lodged but no action taken. Kindly look into it. PNR: 2137164305 @RailMinIndia @IRCTCOFFICIAL1 @AshwiniVaishnaw @RailwaySeva pic.twitter.com/eJ3utptbj1
— Darshil Mishra (@MishraDarshil) June 23, 2025
He then requested a complete refund, claiming that no railway staff ever took action on the matter or provided him with a refund.
Vande Bharat Water Leak
In response to the viral video, PR and media team InRail further explained from the official RailwaySeva handle that the leak was a result of a blocked return air duct in the rooftop-mounted package unit (RMPU) due to a clogged mixed-media/return air filter, leading to condensate overflowing the drip tray when the train stopped. To the last point, they confirmed that on the return trip, the affected drip tray was cleaned at New Delhi station, and that a temporary washer was subsequently installed under the filter tray to prevent this from happening again.
A case of water leakage was reported from the return air duct in coach C-7 (seat no. 76) on Train No. 22415 (Varanasi–New Delhi Vande Bharat Express).
Root Cause:
Condensate water accumulated under the cooling coil of the RMPU due to drain holes of drip tray blocked by Mix media/…— RailwaySeva (@RailwaySeva) June 24, 2025
RailwaySeva further mentioned that under a “pre-monsoon drive” from May 15 to May 27, all of the rake’s RMPUs were checked and fitted with new washers to ensure proper drainage clearance.
This current incident brings to mind a similar one back in July 2024 when water had leaked inside the same Vande Bharat rake on the Delhi–Varanasi route. Later, Northern Railway found out there was a “short term pipes chocking” and quickly repaired it onboard.
Public reactions were quick and sardonic, with one Mathrubhumi commenter calling it a “free loading ‘waterfall’ service,” while another lamented the failure of such a high-end service on an almost ₹115 crores train.
Meantime, fact-checking outlets have verified that this most recent leak did in fact happen on the Vande Bharat Express—unlike an earlier viral claim that misidentified a leak on a Garib Rath train.
Pre-Monsoon Maintenance and Inspection Protocols
Indian Railways carries out intensive escalations inspections after the onset and throughout the monsoon season to safeguard the operational safety and connect reliability of its trains and infrastructure. As stated in a PIB release concerning official policy, railway tracks and bridges are regularly inspected under a clearly defined hierarchy structure, starting at the highest level with Senior DENs, growing down through DENs and ADENs, at prescribed periods of time over the course of the year. With monsoons coming, supplemental actions are activated, such as activating intrastate measures like these, which include:
- Sweeping of arterial road and cleaning of storm water yard drainage systems.
- Joint inspections of every point and track circuit, with targeted repairs made immediately
- Targeted long-term maintenance and advance planning for vulnerable areas like those that are susceptible to waterlogging
- Installation of axle counter systems in flood-prone areas
In addition to this guidance on general network infrastructure, specifically dedicated inspections for Vande Bharat trains, concentrated inspections are taken on Roof-Mounted Package Unit (RMPU) including its air-conditioning system. In a follow-up pre-monsoon drive carried out between May 15 – May 27, every RMPU along the Varanasi–New Delhi rake was cleared, with the filters being cleaned or replaced, and new washers added to promote optimal drainage. This yearly routine planning exercise aims to protect against leaks from condensation as the seasons change.
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Why Vande Bharat Is Particularly Vulnerable?
That same design that lends Vande Bharat trains a sleek modernity and makes them speedy creates a unique point of vulnerability. When these filters clog, or these washers develop a failure, condensation is unable to drain properly and overflow into the coach interiors. Vande Bharat’s RMPUs are vulnerable to discharge during rainstorms and brake pressure variations, conditions needing better design mitigations.
This repeated water leakage on Varanasi–Delhi Vande Bharat Express brings into focus the issues related to filtration and drainage upkeep during intensive use and in monsoon conditions. While Indian Railways seems to be reacting as quickly as they can replacing clogged filters, washers, taking monsoon precautions the fact that these types of direct actions keep happening indicates that more thorough inspections and systematic refurbishments are required to ensure that accidents won’t happen again while keeping a high level of service.
