Vande Bharat Exp delayed by over 3 hrs, triggers passenger protests at NJP

Sanchita Aich Bag, MP, 14 Sep 2024, SILIGURI: The Vande Bharat Express, scheduled to depart from New Jalpaiguri (NJP) railway station for Guwahati at 6:10 am on Friday, left over three hours late, sparking protests from frustrated passengers. The train, which finally departed at around 9:30 am, encountered a mechanical issue in the engine that led to the delay, according to railway authorities.

However, passengers were outraged by the lack of communication and alleged misbehavior by railway officials. Tensions flared at the NJP station as hundreds of passengers, including those with connecting trains, voiced their frustration. Protesters claimed they were not informed of the delay and were left in the dark about the train’s status for hours. 

In the wake of the protests, the station superintendent and his staff reportedly left the premises, intensifying the passengers’ anger. Paushali Dutta, a resident of Tripura, shared her frustration over missing her connecting train to Tripura. “I left the Saraighat Express at night specifically to catch the Vande Bharat in the morning. Now I won’t be able to reach Tripura on time.

I had to catch another train from Guwahati, which will not be possible. How would I stay in Guwahati alone? Will the railway take my responsibility?”

Madhav Halder, a passenger, expressed his dissatisfaction, saying: “The train might be delayed, but the railway authorities should have informed us. When we asked for updates, we were mistreated.”

Kapinjal Kishore Sharma, the Chief Public Relations officer of the North East Frontier railway, confirmed that the delay was caused by a mechanical fault in the engine. He also added that the authorities would investigate claims of misbehavior. “We regret the inconvenience caused to passengers and will look into the issue of staff conduct at the station,” Sharma said.