Rail operations in North India faced severe disruption as dense fog, particularly around the New Delhi railway station and adjoining sections, crippled schedules. The adverse weather led to the cancellation of multiple trains and inflicted extensive delays on several others bound for Chandigarh, leaving passengers stranded and frustrated.
Major Cancellations and Extensive Delays
The Northern Railways was forced to cancel two key services: the Hoshiarpur Express (11905) and the Delhi-Chandigarh Special (03311). For trains that did run, the delays were staggering. Officials confirmed that at least five long-distance trains arrived in Chandigarh with delays ranging from nearly three hours to over 11 hours.
The most severely impacted was the Unchahaar Express (14217) from Prayagraj. It finally pulled into Chandigarh at 8:01 PM on Wednesday, a massive 10 hours and 48 minutes behind its scheduled arrival time of 9:15 AM.
List of Other Significantly Delayed Trains
The cascading effect of the fog was widespread:
- Hazrat Nizamuddin–Chandigarh Express (20493): Arrived at 1:09 PM, delayed by 9 hours and 39 minutes from its 3:30 AM schedule.
- Netaji Express (12311) from Howrah: Reached at 9:07 AM, running 7 hours and 40 minutes late.
- Jammu Tawi–Chandigarh train: Arrived approximately five hours behind schedule.
- Kalka Shatabdi Express (12011): Reached Chandigarh at 1:53 PM, delayed by 2 hours and 47 minutes.
High-Speed Services Also Affected
The disruption was not limited to conventional trains. Even premium, high-speed services were not spared. On Tuesday, the Ajmer Vande Bharat Express arrived in Chandigarh at 9:55 PM, a delay of over seven hours from its scheduled 2:45 PM arrival. Passengers across various trains reported extended, unexplained halts and painfully slow movement, especially in the vicinity of the Delhi junction, where visibility was at its worst.
Railway sources indicated that the foggy conditions near the national capital have been severely hampering train movement for the past few days. With visibility dropping sharply, loco pilots have been compelled to adhere to strict safety protocols, operating trains at restricted speeds, which has resulted in a domino effect of delays across the network.
Passenger Advisory Issued
In light of the ongoing weather challenges, railway authorities have advised all passengers to check the updated train timings through official sources before starting their journey. The disruptions are likely to persist until there is a significant improvement in the foggy conditions. Travelers, especially those on long-distance routes originating from or passing through Delhi, are urged to plan accordingly to avoid inconvenience.
