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Ludhiana: Passengers endure long waits as dense fog delays over 35 trains
Dense fog at Ludhiana railway station caused delays for over 35 trains, stranding passengers for hours amid cold conditions and leading to 15 cancellations.
Commuters at Ludhiana railway station faced severe inconvenience on Friday as dense fog disrupted train operations, delaying the arrival of more than 35 trains and leaving passengers stranded for hours amid biting cold conditions. Poor visibility across northern India affected both long-distance and premium services, railway officials said.
One of the worst-hit services was the Garib Rath Express running from Saharsa in Bihar to Amritsar, which arrived over seven hours late. Scheduled to reach Ludhiana at 7.10 pm, the train finally pulled in at around 2.31 am. The Amarnath Express from Guwahati to Jammu was delayed by more than five hours, reaching Ludhiana at 1.18 pm instead of its scheduled arrival at 7.26 am.
The Malwa Express operating between Mumbai Bandra Terminus and Katra also ran over four hours behind schedule, arriving at 1.42 pm against its scheduled time of 9.40 am. Similarly, the Swaraj Express from Mumbai Bandra Terminus to Katra was delayed by over three hours, reaching Ludhiana at 1.21 pm instead of 10.18 am.
The Amritsar Superfast Express, which connects Thiruvananthapuram North in Kerala to Amritsar, was also affected, arriving more than three hours late at 1.53 pm instead of its scheduled 10.46 am. Even premium services were not spared, with the Vande Bharat Express operating between New Delhi and Katra running 1 hour and 41 minutes behind schedule.
The Janshatabdi Express from Haridwar to Amritsar reached Ludhiana over an hour late at 8.47 pm, instead of its scheduled arrival at 7.38 pm. Other trains such as the Begampura Express and Sachkhand Express were also delayed by more than an hour, officials said.
Passengers were forced to spend long hours at the station as delays kept getting extended.
Rajesh Kumar, a passenger travelling to Jammu, said he was scheduled to attend a family function on Saturday. “My train kept getting delayed with no clear announcement. Sitting at the station for hours in this cold is exhausting, especially for senior citizens,” he said.
Another passenger, Simran Kaur, who was travelling with her two-year-old child, described the situation as distressing. “There was no proper information about when the train would arrive. Managing a child in this weather without basic facilities becomes very difficult,” she said.
Cancellations add to woes
Adding to the commuters’ difficulties, around 15 trains were cancelled due to extensive interlocking work at Dhuri. Cancelled services included trains operating on Ludhiana–Sirsa, Ludhiana–Bhiwani and Ludhiana–Hisar routes.
Among the cancelled trains were the Hoshiarpur–Agra Cantt Express, Ludhiana–Lohian Khas Junction service, Ludhiana–Bhiwani Passenger, Ludhiana–Hisar Passenger and the Ambala Cantt–Durg Superfast Express, among others.
Railway authorities advised passengers to check the latest train status before commencing their journeys, as foggy conditions are expected to persist over the next few days, potentially causing further delays.
