Passengers travelling to and from Dehradun are set to face significant disruptions in their rail journeys this week. A major safety and infrastructure upgrade project will impact train operations from Dehradun railway station from Sunday, December 6, through Wednesday, December 10.
Critical Safety Work Halts Dehradun Operations
The disruption is due to an essential interlocking work at the loco shed aimed at improving safety arrangements. Simultaneously, repair work will be conducted on railway tracks and multiple bridges on the route. During this period, several trains will originate or terminate at alternative stations like Haridwar, Saharanpur, Deoband, and Najibabad.
Dehradun station superintendent Ravinder Kumar explained the rationale behind the work. "Maintenance, repair, and cleaning of train engines have been ongoing," he said. "The final phase involves the loco shed work with necessary changes to the signalling system, scheduled for December 7 and 8." He assured that all passengers with prior bookings will be eligible for a full refund.
Extensive Repair on Tracks and Bridges
The scope of the engineering work is substantial. Officials confirmed that repairs will be carried out on the track section between Dehradun and Haridwar. Furthermore, maintenance work will affect a total of 20 bridges along the corridor.
The key bridges slated for repair include:
- Doiwala Guard Bridge
- Kariwala-Dehradun Bridge
- Motichur-Raiwala Bridge
- Haridwar-Motichur Bridge
- Dunder-Ikchal Bridge
Complete List of Affected Trains and Delays
The infrastructure work has led to the cancellation and diversion of several important trains. Passengers are advised to check their schedules carefully.
Trains Cancelled:
- Dehradun-Amritsar Express (from December 7 to 10)
- Dehradun-Saharanpur Express (from December 6 to 10)
- Howrah-Rishikesh Express (from December 8 to 10)
Trains Short-Terminated at Haridwar:
- Dehradun-New Delhi Shatabdi Express (12017/12018) from December 8 to 10
- Howrah-Dehradun Kumbh Express (12369/12670) from December 7 to 9
- Kota-Dehradun Express (12401/12402) from December 9 to 10
Trains Facing Major Delays:
On Sunday, December 6, the Shatabdi Express from Dehradun to New Delhi will depart an hour late at 6 PM. The same service from Delhi will arrive in Dehradun three hours behind schedule. Further delays are expected on Monday, with the Link Express from Dehradun to Subedarganj running two hours late. The Rapti Ganga Express arriving from Muzaffarpur will be delayed by three hours.
Railway authorities urge passengers to plan their journeys accordingly and confirm their train status before heading to the station. The work is deemed critical for enhancing long-term safety and operational efficiency on this busy route.
