Although the foggy season is yet to set in, train delays are already causing discomfort to passengers. On both Monday and Tuesday, several trains kept their passengers waiting for a grueling 12 to 13 hours. The Shramjeevi Express, operating between Rajgir and Delhi, which was scheduled to reach Bareilly at 11:49 PM on Monday, only arrived the next day at 11:48 AM, marking a delay of almost 12 hours.
But the woes didn’t stop with the Shramjeevi Express. Several other trains caused distress to the passengers. As a result, 57 passengers sought refunds for their journey tickets on Monday and Tuesday. The Kumbh Express had a delay of 6:30 hours, Saharsa-Amritsar Garib Rath Express was delayed by 3:45 hours, the Lucknow Mail by 1:30 hours, the Avadh-Assam Express by 3:20 hours, and the Bagh Express made its passengers wait for an additional 1:10 hours. The most significant disruption was caused by the 12-hour delay of the Shramjeevi Express, leading many of its passengers bound for Delhi to claim a refund.
In recent times, the Doon Express, which operates between Rishikesh and Howrah, had completely derailed from its schedule, making its passengers wait for 30-35 hours. The railway department took a step to amend its timetable by canceling its operations for a day in both directions. Although this adjustment was made, the train still tends to make its passengers wait for an extra 2 to 3 hours.
In a recent development, due to yard remodeling works in the Varanasi zone, several trains like Muzaffarpur-Anand Vihar Express, Anand Vihar-Muzaffarpur Express, Darbhanga-Amritsar Express, Amritsar-Darbhanga Express, and Jammu Tawi-Bhagalpur Express were rerouted. However, as of Tuesday, these trains have resumed their operations on their designated routes.
The frequent delays and rerouting are not just inconvenient but highlight a pressing need for infrastructural improvements and better management within the railways. As the winter season approaches and the challenges of foggy conditions loom, the authorities will need to ensure better coordination and scheduling to keep the rail system running smoothly.
