Fault in third rail line work hits 30 passenger and 28 goods trains on Jabalpur route

Rail services on the Jabalpur-Mirzapur-Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya (DDU) route were badly disrupted on Wednesday because of a technical problem during construction of the third rail line. About 30 passenger trains and 28 goods trains were affected. Thousands of passengers were stranded and faced hours of hardship.

The incident occurred at around 6:18 pm on Tuesday. A section of track is reported to have sunk slightly during construction work. As a result, a mast of the overhead equipment (OHE) shifted and came dangerously close to the live track, creating a safety risk. To avoid any mishap, railway officials immediately stopped train movement on the affected stretch.

Trains in both directions were affected, including those coming to and leaving from Jabalpur. Many passenger trains ran hours late, while some were sent via other routes.

Passengers waiting at stations faced considerable difficulty. Uncertainty over train operations forced many people to change their travel plans.

According to Madhur Verma, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of West Central Railway, about 30 passenger trains and 28 goods trains were affected by the disruption. Railway technical teams were rushed to the spot so that the damaged track could be repaired and the problem with the OHE structure fixed.

Train movement on the affected route resumed at around 4:15 am on Wednesday. As a precaution, trains are for now running at reduced speed. It is expected to take some more time before normal operations are fully restored.

To help affected passengers, the railway set up help desks at major stations, where information on train timings and delays was given. Special arrangements, including food and drink, were also made for passengers stranded during long halts. Alternative routes were fixed for some selected trains so that inconvenience did not increase further.

Railway officials say the situation is gradually returning to normal, though the speed restriction remains in place.