Passengers traveling from Delhi to Patna faced a harrowing journey on Thursday as a second bout of severe weather caused major disruptions along the crucial rail route. Multiple long-distance trains were severely delayed, with some arriving nearly five hours behind schedule, leaving hundreds of travelers stranded in cold conditions without timely updates or basic amenities.
Major Trains Severely Affected
The New Delhi-Rajendra Nagar Terminal Tejas Rajdhani Express (12310) bore the brunt of the disruption, arriving at its destination a staggering five hours late. Close on its heels was the New Delhi-Rajendra Nagar Terminal Sampoorna Kranti Express (12394), which reached Patna three and a half hours behind its scheduled time.
The cascading effect of the delays impacted several other important services. The list of affected trains includes:
- New Delhi-Rajgir Shramjeevi Express (12392): Delayed by 3 hours.
- New Delhi-Islampur Magadh Express (20802): Arrived 2 hours and 15 minutes late.
- Anand Vihar-Danapur Jansadharan Express (13258): Reached Patna 3 hours and 45 minutes behind schedule.
- Anand Vihar-Bhagalpur Vikramshila Express (12368): Delayed by 3 hours and 42 minutes.
- New Delhi-Howrah Poorva Express (12304): Faced a delay of 4 hours.
Official Reason and Passenger Plight
A senior official from the North Central Railway, headquartered in Prayagraj, cited adverse weather conditions as the primary cause. Poor visibility and operational constraints on the busy Delhi-Kanpur-Patna mainline were blamed for the massive snarl.
While railway authorities stated that efforts were underway to normalize operations as the weather improved, this provided little solace to the affected passengers. Many were forced to wait for hours in the cold, complaining about a lack of clear communication from the railways regarding the delays and an absence of basic facilities at stations.
Recovery Efforts and Ongoing Challenges
The incident highlights the vulnerability of one of North India's busiest rail corridors to seasonal weather disruptions. Although officials assured that services were being streamlined, passengers continued to endure prolonged hardships throughout the day. The disruption underscores the need for robust contingency plans and better passenger communication systems during such widespread delays, especially on critical routes connecting the national capital to eastern India.
