Heavy downpours across West Bengal have severely disrupted train movements in Eastern Railway's Howrah-Malda division. Early Thursday morning, significant soil erosion was detected right beneath the railway tracks along the Up line between Tildanga and New Farakka stations. To ensure passenger safety and prevent any potential mishaps, railway authorities immediately altered the train schedules across the region. Consequently, 4 passenger trains stand completely cancelled, while 13 long-distance express services connecting North and South Bengal have been rerouted via alternative tracks. Technical maintenance teams and senior officials rushed to the affected location to undertake prompt restoration efforts.
Early Morning Track Damage and Restoration Operations
According to senior railway officials, the track instability came to light at around 2 AM on Thursday morning. Continuous heavy rainfall over the preceding days had thoroughly saturated and softened the soil beneath the embankment, causing a portion of the ground to slip away right under the Up railway line. This created an unsafe gap directly below the tracks. Immediately upon discovering the damage, emergency maintenance crews alongside senior engineering officials from the division were dispatched to the site to initiate repair operations.
To minimize disruption for commuters heading toward North Bengal, train movements are currently being managed through an adjacent bypass track at restricted speeds. Meanwhile, rail traffic along the Down line toward New Farakka remains unaffected and continues to operate according to its standard timetable. Engineering teams are aggressively backfilling the eroded section and stabilizing the track bed to ensure that normal operations on the primary line can resume safely at the earliest.
Complete List of Cancelled Passenger Trains
As per the official notification issued by Eastern Railway, the maintenance work and track hazard have forced the complete cancellation of 4 local passenger trains that cater to daily commuters in the region
- 53434 Barharwa-Azimganj Passenger: Completely cancelled for the day.
- 53029 Azimganj-Bhagalpur Passenger: Operations suspended across its entire route.
- 63401 Sahibganj-Malda Town Passenger: Service halted between Sahibganj and Malda Town.
- 63402 Malda Town-Sahibganj Passenger: Return service also remains fully cancelled.
13 Express Trains Diverted to Alternative Routes
Due to the blockade on the direct Up track, railway authorities have rerouted 13 key long-distance express trains via the Nalhati-Azimganj-Jangipur Road-New Farakka loop line. The list of diverted services includes
- 12363 Kolkata-Haldibari Express: Operating via Nalhati and Azimganj.
- 13053 Howrah-Radhikapur Express: Running along the modified route.
- 12503 SMVB Bengaluru-Agartala Express: Completing its journey through the diverted circuit.
- 13173 Sealdah-Sabroom Express: Rerouted through Jangipur Road and New Farakka.
- 15661 Ranchi-Kamakhya Express: Route modified due to track maintenance.
- 13433 SMVB Bengaluru-Malda Town Express: Operating via the alternative line.
- 13149 Kanchan Kanya Express: Guided along the diverted railway network.
- 12343 Darjeeling Mail: Prominent train to North Bengal now traveling via the revised path.
- 13159 Jogbani Express: Redirected through alternative junctions.
- 12377 Padatik Express: Proceeding to its destination via the bypass route.
- 13153 Gour Express: Shifted to the temporary detour line.
- 22511 Kamakhya Express: Running on the altered rail track.
- 22301 Vande Bharat Express: High-speed flagship service diverted via the Nalhati-Azimganj route.
Travel Advisory and Impact on Train Schedules
Because trains are being diverted through alternative routes and negotiated at reduced speeds over bypass tracks, several premium services are experiencing substantial operational delays. Key services such as the Darjeeling Mail, Jogbani Express, and Gour Express have been particularly affected by schedule slippages. Railway officials have advised all passengers intending to travel along this corridor to verify the live running status and specific routing of their trains via official railway helpline channels or the National Train Enquiry System (NTES) prior to departing for the railway station.
