Dense fog has thrown railway operations into disarray across the Ludhiana region, causing widespread chaos and significant inconvenience for thousands of passengers. Train schedules have been severely impacted, with numerous prominent services running several hours behind time, disrupting connecting journeys and leaving commuters stranded on platforms for hours.
Major Trains Grapple with Extensive Delays
The disruption was severe, with some of the region's most important trains bearing the brunt of the fog-induced slowdown. The Amritsar Clone Special was one of the worst-affected, running nearly 13 hours behind its scheduled arrival. Close on its heels was the Amritsar Jallianwala Bagh Express, which was delayed by almost 10 hours.
The list of severely impacted services continued to grow. The Shan-e-Punjab Express arrived seven and a half hours late, while the Jammu Tawi Humsafar Express was delayed by approximately six hours. Adding to the woes, the Amrapali Express recorded a delay of more than nine hours.
Widespread Impact on Key Services
The cascading effect of the initial delays impacted a broad spectrum of trains. Premium services like the Vande Bharat Expresses were not spared. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Vande Bharat Express was three hours late, the Amritsar Vande Bharat Express was delayed by over an hour, and the New Delhi Vande Bharat Express also faced disruptions.
Other crucial services experienced significant hold-ups:
- Begampura Express: Delayed by three and a half hours.
- Amritsar Intercity Express: Nearly an hour and a half late.
- Amritsar Jan Shatabdi Express: Over one hour late.
- Hirakud Express: Delayed by three and a half hours.
Trains including the Swaraj Express, Amritsar Swarna Jayanti Shatabdi Express, Sarya Yamuna Express, and the Galta Dham Pooja Express were also delayed, with durations ranging from an hour to more than two and a half hours.
Passengers Bear the Brunt of the Chaos
The operational chaos translated directly into passenger distress. Hundreds of travelers were forced to wait for endless hours on cold platforms, anxiously seeking updates and struggling to rearrange their travel plans. The ripple effect of the primary delays caused a domino effect on connecting journeys, amplifying the inconvenience across the network.
Railway authorities are likely grappling with the challenge of restoring normalcy as weather conditions continue to play a pivotal role in scheduling. The incident highlights the vulnerability of transport systems to seasonal weather patterns and the urgent need for contingency planning to mitigate passenger suffering during such widespread disruptions.
