Residents upset over no stoppage of Vande Bharat Express in Karnal

Resentment is brewing among residents of Karnal after no stoppage of the newly started Firozpur Cantonment–Delhi Vande Bharat Express at the city’s historic railway station, one of the oldest in the region established by the British in 1892.

The train, which was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 8, has commercial stoppages at Kurukshetra and Panipat but none at Karnal, much to the dismay of the people of Karnal who have long complained that most premium trains passed through Karnal without stopping.

Residents have urged the government to provide at least a two-minute stoppage so that passengers from the district can also benefit from the high-speed train service.

“We are not against Kurukshetra and Panipat getting stoppages, they deserve it. But Karnal is a major district headquarters and thousands of passengers travel daily to Delhi and Ambala from here,” said Ansul Narang, a social activist known for raising railway-related issues.

He said while six Vande Bharat, six Shatabdi, four AC Superfast, four Sampark Kranti, three Humsafar, and one each of Rajdhani and Gareeb Rath trains operate on the Delhi–Ambala route, only the Shatabdi Express halts in Karnal.

“It is unfair that except Shatabdi, no other premium train stops here,” Narang said. “I request the Prime Minister, Railway Minister, and our MP, who is also the Union Power Minister, to consider our long-pending demand. At least the trains like the Shri Shakti AC Superfast (22461/62), Saharsa Gareeb Rath (12203/04), Kalka–Shirdi Superfast (22455/56), Katra Vande Bharat (22439/40), Amb Andaura Vande Bharat (22447/48), and Ajmer–Chandigarh Vande Bharat (20977/78) should have a brief halt in Karnal,” he demanded.

Other residents echoed similar concerns. “Every time a new express train is launched, Karnal is ignored. We have the required infrastructure, passenger volume, and connectivity. The government must acknowledge that people here equally deserve the convenience of fast travel,” said Manish Kumar, a resident.

Bhumika, another resident, said, “The Vande Bharat train must be given a stoppage in Karnal. It is a long-standing demand and we hope the authorities will address it soon.”

When contacted, Kavinder Rana, representative of Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar for Karnal district, said efforts would be made to include Karnal in the train’s stoppage list.

“It is a matter of pride that the Delhi–Ambala route has got a new Vande Bharat train, and we are thankful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, and Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar for this,” Rana said. “It is also a matter of happiness that our Lok Sabha constituency has one stoppage in Panipat, and our MP will try to get another in Karnal soon,” he added.