Smoke emanating from the engine of the Malda-Howrah Intercity Express raised concerns on Monday, although none of the passengers or coaches was affected in the incident.

The driver of the train noticed the smoke when the train was running between Pundooah and Magra stations. He immediately shut off the power and eased the train into Magra station. The smoke was seen emanating from the wheels and he used a fire extinguisher until the smoke disappeared, according to a press release issued by Eastern Railway.
Once the train left Magra station, the smoke was again noticed, so another engine was brought in from Bhadreshwar nearby so that the train could continue its journey to Howrah.
None of the passengers or coaches was affected, but the train was delayed by two-and-a-half hours because of the defect.
According to the authorities of Eastern Railway, the smoke was a result of friction between two components of the of traction motor of the engine. The commutator bars and magnet frame of the traction motor were rubbing against each other, eventually making it inoperative.