Foggy conditions derail train schedules
With foggy conditions prevailing the region, several trains, including the Vande Bharat and Shatabdi Express, were running late by half an hour to nearly 13 hours, causing inconvenience to passengers on Saturday. Over 20 trains were rescheduled by the Railways due to the affected operations.
The New Delhi-Amb Andaura Vande Bharat Express was running over one hour late, New Delhi Amritsar Express one hour and 50 minutes, Malwa Express one hour and 30 minutes, Nanded-Jammu Tawi express six hours, Amritsar-Saharsa Gabir Rath over three hours and the Jhelum Express seven hours and 50 minutes. Similarly, the Unchahar Express was running late by 13 hours, Chhatisgarh Express nearly 11 hours, Swaraj Express four hours, and the Indore-Amritsar express (19325) was delayed by three hours.
Similarly, the Sachkhand Express was running late by over 11 hours, Jalianwala Bagh Express over eight hours and Lucknow-Chandigarh Express over two hours. Passengers were seen waiting at the platforms with the blankets to get some respite from cold conditions.
Sube Singh, a passenger, said: “I got my tickets confirmed of Jammu, but my train got delayed by over six hours. It was schedule to arrive around 7.30 in the morning, but now it is expected to arrive around 2 pm. It is very inconvenient to wait at the stations with family amid cold conditions.”
Similarly, Narender Pal, another passenger, said “The foggy conditions affect the train traffic every year and the trains run late by several hours. Moreover, it is also difficult to plan for further journey if the train keeps getting late. The railway should make proper arrangements for the passengers waiting for their trains due to the delay.”
A spokesman for the Ambala Division of the Northern Railway said: “Due to the dense fog in the northern region, several passing and terminating trains are affected in the Ambala division. Nearly 20 trains were rescheduled by 20 minutes to over 11 hours. The passengers are advised to keep checking the railway’s mobile application for updates. Trains, including Kalka Shatabdi, Amritsar-Delhi Vande Bharat Express, Swarn Shatabdi, Unchahar Express, Swaraj Express and Malwa Express were rescheduled.
“Fog affects the operations, and the capacity of trains reduces drastically due several of them running behind their schedule. Rescheduling makes the operations complex for the authorities. There are clear directions to the staff to take all safety and precautionary measures while ensuring smooth operations and safety of passengers. Regular announcements are being made at the railway stations."
