Fog continues, so does erratic run of trains

Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, January 24

With the adverse weather conditions showing no signs of improvement and thick fog engulfing the region, rail traffic remains erratic. As most of the long-route trains, especially those terminating at or originating from Jammu/Mata Vaishno Devi-Katra were running way behind schedule, and more than one dozen trains were cancelled for the day due to operational reasons, the rail travellers were a harassed lot.

The Northern Railway authorities announced that 15708 Amritsar-Katihar Amrapali Express, 12445 New Delhi-Katra Uttar Sampark Kranti Express, 12920 Jammu Tawi-Indore Malwa Express, 12925 Bandra Terminus (Mumbai)-Amritsar Paschim Express, 13050 Amritsar-Howrah Express, 13307 Dhanbad-Ferozepur Ganga Sutlej Express, 14033 Delhi-Katra Jammu Mail, 14629 Ludhiana-Ferozepur Express, 15209/15210 Saharsa-Amritsar-Saharsa Jansewa, 15212 Amritsar-Darbhanga Jannayak, 18102 Jammu Tawi-Tatanagar Muri Express, 18237 Bilaspur-Amritsar Chhattisgarh Express and 19614 Amritsar-Ajmer Express trains will remain cancelled for the day.

To add to the woes of rail passengers, most of the long-route trains, especially those originating from or terminating at Jammu/Katra were running late by several hours. Trains were also running behind schedule on the New Dehi-Ludhiana-Amritsar section.

Railway officials said 12029 New Delhi-Amritsar Shatabdi Express was late by 1.55 hrs, 12497 New Delhi-Amritsar Shan-e-Punjab by 3.03 hrs, 14682 Jalnadhar-New Delhi Intercity Express by 1.35 hrs, 12498 Amritsar-New Delhi Shan-e-Punjab by 2.30 hrs, 14681 New Delhi-Jalandhar Intercity Express by 1 hrs, 14037 Delhi-Pathankot by 1.42 hrs and 12459 New Delhi-Amritsar Intercity Express by 1.15 hrs.

Most of the trains bound for or originating from Jammu Tawi/Katra, including 12355 Rajendranagar-Jammu Tawi Archna Express (3.15 hrs), 12413 Ajmer-Jammu Tawi Pooja Express (6.18 hrs), 12237 Varanasi-Jammu Tawi Begumpura Express (3.25 hrs), 12588 Jammu Tawi-Gorakhpur Amarnath Superfast Express (6.33 hrs), 1331 Howrah-Jammu Tawi Himgiri Express (4.15 hrs), 16032 Katra-Chennai Andaman Express (7 hrs), 12473 Ahmedabad-Katra Sarvodaya Express (3.23 hrs),Continued on page 2