Passengers stranded for hours as trains run late

Patna: Passengers travelling from Delhi to Patna continued to face severe hardship on Tuesday as dense fog and poor visibility crippled rail movement on the busy route, forcing travellers to spend long hours inside delayed trains. The prolonged journeys caused acute distress, particularly for elderly passengers, children and families, many of whom struggled to cope with uncertainty, exhaustion and lack of timely information.

Almost all premier and mail or express trains arriving from Delhi reached Patna and Danapur several hours behind schedule due to inclement weather conditions. With visibility reduced to dangerously low levels along several stretches, trains were compelled to move at a very slow pace, worsening delays and adding to passengers’ misery.


According to the Danapur control room, the New Delhi-Rajendra Nagar Terminal Tejas Rajdhani Express reached Patna nearly 12 hours late, causing major inconvenience. The New Delhi-Rajendra Nagar Terminal Sampoorn Kranti Express, New Delhi-Rajgir Shramjeevi Express, Anand Vihar-Danapur Jansadharan Express, New Delhi-Islampur Magadh Express, New Delhi-Howrah Poorva Express and Anand Vihar-Bhagalpur Vikramshila Express also arrived several hours behind schedule.

The abnormal late running had a cascading effect, forcing the railways to reschedule several outbound services from Patna, Ara and Danapur. A Danapur railway official said departures of Patna-New Delhi Amrit Bharat Express, Ara-Ranchi Express, Danapur-Anand Vihar Jansadharan Express and Islampur-Hatia Express were pushed back late into the night or early Wednesday morning to manage congestion caused by fog. The official said train speeds had to be drastically reduced to ensure passenger safety.

Passengers alleged that slow movement due to dense fog significantly increased travel time, leaving many physically drained and mentally stressed. “We were completely unprepared for such a long delay. Managing food, rest and children became extremely difficult,” said R K Srivastava from Patna.

Meanwhile, IRCTC Patna joint general manager Rajesh Kumar said passengers travelling on the Tejas Rajdhani Express were served snacks, tea or coffee and meals in accordance with Railway Board guidelines applicable during abnormal late running of trains. However, several passengers, including those travelling in premium classes, complained that these arrangements were insufficient to compensate for the discomfort caused by the prolonged delays.

Get an chance to win ₹5000 Amazon Voucher by taking part in India's Biggest Habit Index! Take the survey here

Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Merry Christmas wishes, messages and quotes !