Passengers reportedly turn to goods trains as cancellations disrupt Delhi-bound rail services

The cancellation of passenger train services ahead of the Cockroach Janata Party's (CJP) protest in Delhi has disrupted rail travel, with a social media post claiming that people are attempting to reach the national capital by travelling on goods trains.

The claim comes amid widespread disruption to railway services on October 10, when Indian Railways cancelled several trains scheduled to arrive at New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin stations during the morning and early afternoon. The cancellations left passengers facing uncertainty over their journeys, with reports of people stranded at railway stations and travellers being prevented from proceeding towards Delhi.

However, the specific claim that passengers were travelling on goods trains could not be independently verified from the available reports.

Why were trains cancelled?

Indian Railways announced cancellations after intelligence inputs and traffic advisories indicated the possibility of severe congestion around New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin railway stations during the proposed protest.

Mail and Express trains scheduled to arrive at the two stations between 4 am and 2 pm on October 10 were affected. The restrictions also applied to services departing from their originating stations after 2 pm on October 9 and due to reach either station during the specified period.

The measures were introduced ahead of the CJP-led demonstration at Jantar Mantar, which sought the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the withdrawal of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

The scale of the cancellations drew criticism from passengers and railway observers, who raised concerns about the impact on ordinary travellers.

Passengers stranded as travel plans unravel

Reports from different parts of the country highlighted the difficulties faced by people trying to reach Delhi. In Madhya Pradesh, 15 students travelling from Pune were detained at Itarsi railway station, while four other passengers were deboarded at Bhopal, according to a report by The Times of India.

The disruption also affected passengers at New Delhi railway station, where travellers faced difficulties arranging onward journeys and securing alternative bookings.

The social media claim about passengers boarding goods trains has added to concerns over the consequences of the cancellations. Goods trains are primarily intended to transport freight, and the claim should not be treated as confirmed without independent verification of the footage or circumstances behind the post.

Train services return to normal on October 11

Northern Railway subsequently announced that train services would operate according to their normal schedules from October 11. The announcement followed two days of cancellations and rescheduling linked to the planned protest and related operational disruptions.

Passengers travelling to or from Delhi should check their train's running status and reservation details before leaving for the station, particularly if their journey was affected by the earlier cancellations.

The episode has renewed questions about how authorities can manage security arrangements around major demonstrations without causing extensive disruption to public transport and inconveniencing passengers who are not involved in the protests.