The Ahmedabad-Puri Superfast Express will depart 6 hours and 35 minutes late on October 31 after the incoming Puri-Ahmedabad service was delayed, leaving passengers at Ahmedabad station facing a long wait and disruption to connecting journeys.
Train number 12844 was scheduled to leave Ahmedabad at 7 pm. The departure has been rescheduled to 1:35 am on November 1 because the train operating in the opposite direction, number 12843, is expected to reach Ahmedabad about 14 hours late. The delay meant that the railway administration did not have the link rake required to prepare and operate the outbound service at its scheduled time.
The Puri-Ahmedabad Superfast Express was originally scheduled to leave Puri at 5:30 pm on Thursday. According to the report, it eventually departed at 8:31 pm, about three hours late. During its journey, the service was operated on a diverted route between Khurda Road and Titlagarh stations, further extending the delay.
The train was expected to reach Titlagarh at 4:55 am the following day but arrived at about 4:28 pm, approximately 11 hours and 30 minutes late. Further delays during the remaining journey pushed the expected delay on arrival at Ahmedabad to more than 13 hours. Instead of reaching Ahmedabad at 6:25 am on Saturday, the train was expected to arrive at about 8:30 pm.
The rescheduling affected passengers who had already reached Ahmedabad station to board the service at 7 pm. The report said many travellers would have to remain at the station for seven to eight hours. Passengers with onward connecting trains were also expected to face difficulties because of the delayed departure.
The disruption shows how the railway timetable for a long-distance service can depend on the timely arrival, maintenance and preparation of the incoming rake. When the incoming train is delayed substantially, the impact can extend beyond one service to passengers waiting at the originating station and those relying on onward connections.
The Ahmedabad-Puri Superfast Express is now scheduled to leave Ahmedabad at 1:35 am on November 1. The timing was changed to allow the delayed incoming rake to reach Ahmedabad before maintenance and operational preparations for the return journey.
