In a recent bout of heavy fog, the Central Railway faced significant disruptions, impacting nearly a dozen trains, including the prestigious Solapur CSMT Vande Bharat Express. Passengers experienced delays of up to two hours and 30 minutes in the Daud to Kurduwadi-Khedgaon, Shrigonda section on Friday.
The Vande Bharat Express, initially scheduled to arrive at CSMT around 12:35 noon, found itself running significantly behind schedule, arriving approximately two hours and 30 minutes later. This unexpected delay left passengers anxious and inconvenienced, shedding light on the challenges posed by adverse weather conditions for the railway system.
Passengers stranded without timely updates from railways
Amid the chaos, some passengers claimed to be stranded without timely updates from railway authorities, further exacerbating their frustration and uncertainty. The dissatisfaction was palpable, with one traveler expressing dismay over the lack of prior intimation about the delay.
The Friday departure of the Solapur Mumbai Vande Bharat Express from the Pune railway station deviated from its scheduled time, leaving at around 11:25 am instead of the planned 9:20 am departure.
A passenger shared their experience, stating, "We were anticipating a 9:20 am departure and received the first update at 10:15 am, indicating a revised arrival time of 10:45 am—still almost 1 hour and 30 minutes behind schedule. The train eventually arrived at 11 am and departed at 11:23 am, leaving passengers grappling with unexpected changes in their travel plans."
The challenges extended beyond delays, as inside the train, passengers faced complications with few choked toilets, further adding discomfort to an already challenging journey. "The unexpected delays also reportedly caused hardship for few passengers trying to plan their meals" said another passenger.
