Udaipur-Ahmedabad Line: The 2022 Sabotage Attempt
A look back at the 2022 sabotage attempt on the Udaipur-Ahmedabad railway line near Odha bridge and the massive security response.
In a chilling security breach targeting critical infrastructure, a major sabotage attempt was carried out on the Udaipur-Ahmedabad railway line in late 2022. The incident, which occurred during the night of November 12-13, involved a targeted explosion on the Odha bridge near Kewda Ki Naal, situated within the jurisdiction of the Zawar Mines police station in Udaipur.
The timing of the blast added a layer of extreme tension to the event. Authorities confirmed that the explosion took place approximately 45 minutes after a passenger train had safely crossed the section. The blast caused significant damage to the track, specifically near the 200-meter mark of the bridge. This was particularly alarming given that the railway line had been inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi only a few weeks earlier, on October 31, 2022.
High-Stakes Investigation and Forensic Analysis
Following the explosion, a massive multi-agency investigation was launched to identify the perpetrators and the methods used. The security response involved several high-level organizations, including:
- The National Investigation Agency (NIA)
- The Rajasthan Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS)
- The Special Operations Group (SOG)
- The Railway Protection Force (RPF)
Forensic experts conducting the investigation suspected the use of high-grade explosives to carry out the attack. Preliminary findings pointed toward the potential use of "Superpower 90" detonators or gelatin to compromise the structural integrity of the track.
Rapid Restoration and Command Response
The sabotage attempt was met with a swift and decisive response from both the railway and state authorities. The operation to repair the damaged infrastructure was overseen at the highest levels, including then-Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and then-Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.
Despite the severity of the damage to the Odha bridge, intensive repair work was prioritized to ensure the safety and continuity of rail services. Through these rapid efforts, the railway track was successfully restored and declared fully operational by November 14, 2022.