Mumbai, Oct 9: Several long-distance trains from Mumbai to New Delhi were cancelled or rescheduled by the Central and Western Railways on Friday, a decision coming on the eve of the Cockroach Janta Party’s protest in the national capital.
Western Railway said it has rescheduled the Mumbai Central-New Delhi Rajdhani Express (12951) and the Mumbai Central-Hazrat Nizamuddin August Kranti Rajdhani Express (12953) by five hours and cancelled the Bandra Terminus-Hazrat Nizamuddin Express (12247) and Mumbai Central-Hazrat Nizamuddin Duronto Express.
Apart from this, the WR has also cancelled Dr Ambedkar Nagar-New Delhi Express (20155), Indore-Hazrat Nizamuddin Express (09309), the Indore-New Delhi Express (12415) and Sabarmati-New Delhi Express (12957), it said.
Mumbai-headquartered WR’s geographic jurisdiction covers Gujarat and parts of Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh.
The Central Railway cancelled the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT)-Hazrat Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express (22221).
Several other trains on the Central and Western Railway networks reached their destinations despite disruptions linked to the agitation, railway officials said.
The decision was taken in view of anticipated “severe road traffic congestion” around New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin railway stations on October 10, following a Railway Board communication, the notification said.
Railway authorities have advised passengers to verify updated train schedules before starting their journeys.
Following the cancellations and rescheduling of trains, many passengers raised concerns about refunds and expressed anger over the abrupt move.
A Western Railway spokesperson, however, said that passengers would be given refunds for tickets on cancelled trains.
The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) has planned a massive protest at Jantar Mantar on October 10 against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, who is facing allegations of voter-list tampering under the guise of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and of bypassing his two colleagues to alter Form 6, a key document to register as a voter. (PTI)
