Nagpur: Hundreds of passengers were left stranded after the Nagpur-Mumbai CSMT Summer Special Train (No. 02142), scheduled to depart from Nagpur at 8pm on Sunday, was delayed for nearly eight hours. The train finally left for Mumbai at around 4.30am on Monday.
Reason for Delay
Railway officials said that the delay was caused after the rake came late, and it took nearly six hours for its cleaning. 'However, the affected passengers were informed through SMS as well as information was available on the Railway app, and the website,' said the official.
Passenger Frustration
The prolonged delay triggered frustration among many passengers who were forced to spend the entire night waiting at Nagpur Railway Station or at their homes. Passengers said the delay turned a convenient overnight journey into a stressful daytime trip amid scorching summer temperatures. Several travellers complained that their hotel reservations, business meetings, medical appointments, examinations, and personal commitments were disrupted because of the train delay.
Impact on Travel Connections
The situation also created problems for passengers with onward travel connections. Many travellers depend on special trains to catch connecting trains, buses and flights from Mumbai. Due to the delay, several passengers reportedly missed their onward connections, while some were forced to cancel their journeys altogether, resulting in financial losses.
Reaction from Jamaat-e-Islami Hind
Media in-charge of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind Nagpur MA Rasheed slammed the railway administration over the incident and demanded immediate corrective measures. He suggested that the rake for every special train should be stationed at the originating station at least 12 hours before departure to avoid such situations. Rasheed also demanded accountability from officials responsible for ensuring operational readiness. He urged railway authorities to prepare realistic schedules for summer special trains so that passengers do not face similar hardships in future.
