Passengers planning to travel to and from Bihar via train need to check their schedules immediately. The Indian Railways has announced the cancellation of nearly 51 trains and the diversion of 47 others due to crucial non-interlocking engineering works at the Mokama rail bridge section over the Ganga river.
This massive infrastructural upgrade aims to integrate the newly constructed parallel rail bridge with the existing network at Upper Hathidah Junction, Rampur Dumra, Dinkar Gram Simरिया, and Barauni Junction. The historical Rajendra Pul, operational since 1959, has faced severe capacity constraints due to its single-line structure.
Major Impact on Popular Express and Superfast Trains
The sweeping cancellations affect numerous long-distance and regional trains connecting Bihar to major hubs like Howrah, New Delhi, Kolkata, and Secunderabad. Key trains affected include Howrah-Mokama Express, Howrah-Jaynagar Express, Sialdah-Jaynagar Ganga Sagar Express, and Malda Town-New Delhi Express.
Rail authorities have assured that passengers holding reserved tickets on cancelled routes will receive full refunds. Meanwhile, alternative routes have been activated for 47 diverted trains to minimize passenger inconvenience during this mandatory technical block.
"The mega block is essential for commissioning the new parallel bridge, which will permanently resolve congestion and vastly improve train speeds and punctuality across this vital corridor."— Railway Spokesperson
Travelers are strongly advised to verify their train status via the NTES app or helpline number 139 before heading to the railway station. Normal operations are expected to resume once the crucial non-interlocking phase is successfully completed.
