Delhi-bound trains cancelled at short notice by the Railways have disrupted travel plans for passengers from Bihar, with four premier services originating in the Danapur division withdrawn because of anticipated severe road traffic congestion near New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin railway stations.
The cancellations were announced by the Railway Board on Friday for trains scheduled to originate after 2 pm from the East Central Railway (ECR) jurisdiction and reach Delhi between 4 am and 2 pm on Saturday. The decision affected services from the Danapur division, which includes major passenger routes connecting Bihar with the national capital.
The four cancelled trains are the Rajendra Nagar Terminal–New Delhi Tejas Rajdhani Express (12309), Rajendra Nagar Terminal–New Delhi Sampoorna Kranti Express (12393), Rajendra Nagar Terminal–New Delhi Amrit Bharat Express (22361) and Islampur–New Delhi Magadh Express (20801), according to information reported by the Times of India and attributed to railway sources.
The Railway Board notification covered all mail and express trains originating from the ECR jurisdiction and meeting the specified timing criteria. Railway sources also said that other long-distance mail and express trains originating from or passing through different ECR divisions after 2 pm on Friday were cancelled. The exact number of additional services affected across the zone was not provided.
The cancellations came amid protests against the chief election commissioner. However, railway officials had not officially confirmed whether the demonstrations were the reason for the decision. The stated operational basis in the notification was the expectation of severe road traffic congestion around the two Delhi railway stations.
The move left passengers who had booked tickets in advance facing immediate travel disruption. The affected trains include premium and high-demand services, including the Tejas Rajdhani, Sampoorna Kranti and Amrit Bharat Express, which are important long-distance links between Bihar and Delhi. A cancellation at short notice can affect onward travel, accommodation arrangements and connecting journeys, although the supplied report did not provide details of refund or alternative-travel arrangements.
The episode also highlights how road conditions around major railway terminals can influence long-distance train operations. New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin are among the capital’s key rail gateways, and congestion in their surrounding areas can complicate the movement of passengers, vehicles and station-bound services. In this instance, the Railway Board applied the cancellation decision to trains across the ECR network that matched the specified departure and arrival window.
The cancellations were scheduled to apply to services originating after 2 pm on Friday and reaching Delhi between 4 am and 2 pm on Saturday. The Railway Board notification and any further instructions on the affected ECR services will determine the next operational steps.
