Patna: Rail passengers travelling between Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are facing sweeping disruptions, with more than 30 trains cancelled and many others rescheduled due to ongoing infrastructure upgrades on a key railway corridor.
The Indian Railways is undertaking a major expansion project involving the commissioning of a third rail line between Gorakhpur Junction and Gorakhpur Cantt. The work is scheduled in two phases: Pre Non-Interlocking (Pre-NI) work from April 13 to April 26 and Non-Interlocking (NI) work from April 27 to May 3.
According to East Central Railway’s Chief Public Relations Officer, Saraswati Chandra, the project is expected to improve line capacity and train punctuality in the long run. However, in the short term, it has resulted in large-scale service disruptions affecting thousands of passengers across eastern India.
Key cancellations
Several trains operating between Bihar and other major cities have been suspended. Notably:
- Purvanchal Express (15047–15052) on various dates between April 13 and May 5
- Janseva Express (14617/14618) between Amritsar and Purnia Court
- Kamakhya–Anand Vihar Express (15621/15622) on April 24, 25, May 1, and May 2
- Champaran Humsafar Express (15705/15706) and Jansadharan Express (15531/15532) on multiple dates
- Darbhanga–Jalandhar City Antyodaya Express (22551/22552) and Muzaffarpur–Dehradun Express (15001/15002) are among the other long-distance trains impacted.
Trains rescheduled
Several services will see significant changes in departure timings, with delays ranging from 1 to 4.5 hours. These include:
- Porbandar–Muzaffarpur Express (delayed by 4 hours 30 minutes)
- Bhagalpur–Gandhidham Special
- Kamakhya–Katra Express
- Bihar Sampark Kranti Express
- Vaishali Express
- Rapti Sagar Express
- Lohit Express
- Amarnath Express
Trains running on diverted routes
A number of trains will take alternate routes to avoid the affected stretch:
- Barauni–New Delhi Clone Special (02563/02564) via Banaras and Prayagraj
- Bagh Express (13020) and Awadh Express (19037) via Ayodhya Cantt and Jaunpur
- Maur Dhwaj Express (14691/14692) rerouted via Roza and Lucknow
Authorities have urged passengers to check the latest updates on train schedules via the Indian Railways website or helpline before travelling. The Railways have also advised booking in advance and staying informed about rerouted services and potential delays.
The infrastructure project is part of a broader effort to decongest high-traffic corridors and boost train efficiency, but for now, it has left passengers in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh grappling with major travel disruptions during a peak travel season.
