Rail services in the Ludhiana region and across North India faced severe disruption for another day as a thick blanket of fog and biting cold wave conditions brought train operations to a near standstill during crucial morning and evening hours. The persistent foggy weather led to significant schedule alterations, with numerous trains running hours behind time and many others being cancelled outright, leaving passengers stranded and distressed in freezing temperatures.
Major Trains Running Hours Behind Schedule
The impact on long-distance services was particularly harsh. The Malwa Superfast Express arrived approximately three-and-a-half hours late, while the Sarvodya Superfast Express was delayed by close to three hours. In a case of extreme delay, the Amritsar Express was running more than seven hours behind its scheduled arrival, amplifying passenger woes.
The ripple effect was widespread. The Hazur Sahib Nanded Humsafar Express was delayed by about four-and-a-half hours. The Amritsar Intercity Express ran late by over an hour, and the Hirakud Express also faced considerable holdups, exceeding three hours. At the railway stations, passengers bundled up against the cold, voiced their frustration over the prolonged and uncertain waits.
Widespread Cancellations Add to Travel Chaos
Beyond delays, a substantial number of trains were cancelled, throwing travel plans into complete disarray. The list of trains cancelled for the day included prominent services such as the Subedarganj Superfast Express, Sirsa-Ludhiana Passenger, Amritsar-Ajmer Express, Hisar-Ludhiana Passenger, Amritsar Jan Sewa Express, Churu-Ludhiana Express, and the Durgiana Express.
Furthermore, several other services continued to remain cancelled from previous days. This ongoing list featured the Nangal Dam Express, Ludhiana-Ambala Cantt Express, Amritsar-Ajmer Express, and the Jalandhar City Intercity Express. The disruption also hit key long-distance routes, with cancellations affecting the New Delhi Vande Bharat Express from Katra, Delhi Sarai Rohilla Superfast Express, Jammu Mail, and the Jammu Tawi Duronto Express.
Passengers Endure Hardship in Freezing Conditions
The human cost of the operational nightmare was evident at Ludhiana railway station. Travellers, forced to wait for hours on cold platforms, described an ordeal of physical discomfort and anxiety. "My limbs are numb from the cold. Having to wait for hours for trains makes the situation unbearable in this weather," said Jyoti, a passenger waiting at the station. Her sentiment echoed the frustration of hundreds of others caught in the travel snarl, highlighting the severe challenges posed by the winter weather to India's railway network.
The situation underscores the vulnerability of transport schedules to extreme weather conditions during the North Indian winter. While the Indian Railways often issues fog-related advisories, the scale of delays and cancellations continues to cause significant inconvenience to the travelling public, calling for heightened contingency planning during the fog season.
