Rail traffic between Ghaziabad and the capital ground to a halt on Monday after a goods train derailed, throwing schedules into disarray for dozens of passenger services. Six loaded wagons of the freight train left the tracks, forcing railway staff to shut down movement on this heavily used stretch. Fortunately, no passenger or railway staff member is reported to have been hurt in the incident.
Word of the derailment brought senior railway officials rushing to the spot within minutes. The DRM, ADRM and other top officials arrived to inspect the damage and oversee recovery operations, while ground crews began the painstaking job of clearing the derailed wagons and repairing the damaged section of track that had brought services to a standstill.
53 trains thrown off schedule
Railway officials confirmed that the disruption ultimately affected 53 trains in total. Of these, 24 were diverted onto an alternative route between Delhi and New Delhi so passengers could still reach their destinations, even if delayed. Sixteen passenger trains were cancelled outright, and five more passenger services were partially cancelled. A further eight trains, including some headed for Anand Vihar, were held back and regulated at various stations along the way.
Saharanpur-Delhi service rerouted
To limit the inconvenience, the Saharanpur-Delhi passenger train was sent via Sahibabad and routed into Delhi Sarai Rohilla station instead of its usual path. Railway officials said repair work on the affected stretch is being carried out on a war footing, and that normal train operations will resume as soon as the track is fully restored. Passengers have been urged to check the latest status of their train before setting out for the station to avoid any last-minute trouble.
