The aftermath of a goods train derailment near Palghar railway station in Maharashtra caused significant disruptions, leading to considerable delays for the Duronto Express from Ahmedabad (12297). The train finally arrived at the Pune railway station at 1:45 am on Thursday, over 18 hours later than its scheduled arrival time of 7:15 am on Wednesday.
Passengers aboard the Duronto Express expressed frustration as what was supposed to be a six-hour journey from Surat to Pune turned into a nightmare of delays and inconvenience. They complained about the lack of communication from railway authorities and protested at Vangaon Junction, questioning why other trains like Vande Bharat and Rajdhani Express were allowed to pass while they were stranded.
The ordeal began when the train, originally scheduled to depart Surat at 1:45 am on Wednesday, was delayed and rescheduled to depart around 3:45 am. Passengers arrived at Surat station as per the revised schedule but faced further delays, eventually departing at 9 am.
Many passengers found themselves stranded at a small railway station, which was not a scheduled stop, for about four hours. This lack of prior information about the delay and the subsequent inconvenience led to protests against railway authorities.
Zainab Habibulla, a passenger traveling from Surat with her mother, Munira, criticized the lack of communication regarding the train’s schedule. She highlighted that even after the train departed, it made frequent stops at small stations, allowing other trains to pass by.
“We waited for around six hours at Surat station before the train finally started at 9 am. Even after the journey began, it had no punctuality, stopping at every station and letting other trains pass,” Zainab said.
The situation worsened when the train reached Vangaon station, where passengers had to wait for an additional four hours. Frustrated with the prolonged delay, passengers staged a protest by occupying the tracks.
Krupa Patel, another passenger traveling with her child and a senior citizen, expressed disappointment with the railways, suggesting that if authorities had prior knowledge of such conditions, the train should have been canceled.
“Our journey was nothing short of harassment. A six-hour trip turned into a day-long ordeal,” said Krupa, highlighting the financial inconveniences and lack of support from railway staff.
Saifuddin Habibulla, waiting for his family in Pune, echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing the distress faced by passengers, especially women and children, stranded without food.
Sunil Singh, the senior public relations officer of Western Railway, attributed the delays to the derailment, stating that the restoration process was ongoing, and trains were gradually resuming services based on priority.
The incident underscores the challenges faced by passengers during such unforeseen disruptions and highlights the need for improved communication and support from railway authorities in managing such situations.
