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Azad Hind Exp delays continue, only 8 days on time in 3 months
According to railway officials, the Azad Hind Express is often given lower priority compared to other premium trains. Due to congestion on the route and operational limitations, the train is frequently held up, causing extended delays
Passengers traveling on the Pune-Kolkata Azad Hind Express are facing serious inconvenience due to the train’s persistent delays. Data from the past three months reveal a dismal record, with the train running on time for only eight days out of 92. For the remaining 84 days, the train was delayed, inconveniencing passengers.
According to railway records, in April, the train was late for 11 days and managed to be on time only five times. In May, the situation worsened with 29 days of delays and just two days on time. In June, the train ran late on 16 days, whereas in July, it ran late on all days except once.
According to railway officials, the Azad Hind Express is often given lower priority compared to other premium trains. Due to congestion on the route and operational limitations, the train is frequently held up, causing extended delays.
Hemant Kumar Bhera, senior divisional commercial manager, Pune, said, “There are delays, but our officers and workers try to stick to punctuality daily. We work hard to maintain the timings of all trains running from Pune Railway Station, not just Azad Hind Express.”
For passengers, the delays not only affect travel schedules but also lead to missed onward connections and added expenses. Ankita Choudhary, a software engineer from Pune who frequently travels to Kolkata to visit her family, said, “In the past two months, I have taken the Azad Hind Express three times, and not once did it arrive on time. Every journey has meant reaching Kolkata five to seven hours late. Because of this, I’ve missed connecting trains and had to spend extra money on hotels. It is very frustrating that the train is treated so casually by the railways.”
In the past one year, the train has maintained punctuality on only 17 days out of 365, reflecting the chronic nature of the problem.
