UditVani, Jamshedpur: Rail operations on the Chakradharpur–Tatanagar section came under scrutiny on Friday after the Puri–Haridwar Utkal Express moved at an unusually slow pace, taking nearly five hours to cover a distance of just 62 kilometres.
The train eventually reached Tatanagar with a delay of over 17 hours, leaving passengers exhausted and frustrated.
According to railway sources, the train had already reached Chakradharpur about 13 hours behind schedule.
However, the situation worsened further when it took almost five hours to travel the short stretch from Chakradharpur to Tatanagar.
Under normal circumstances, the distance between Chakradharpur and Tatanagar is covered in about an hour.
On Friday, however, the train moved at an average speed of barely 12.5 km per hour.
Notably, there were no reports of dense fog, cable theft, or elephant movement on the section—factors that often slow train operations in the region.
Passengers said the train remained halted at several stations and signals for extended periods, further aggravating the delay.
Many travellers, who had already endured a long wait overnight, hoped the train would make up some time before reaching Tatanagar.
Instead, the journey became even more prolonged.
As per the official schedule, the train was supposed to arrive at Tatanagar around 5:45 pm on March 5. However, it finally reached the station at about 11:09 am on March 6—roughly 17 hours and 24 minutes late.
Overall, the delay from its originating station stretched close to 18 hours.
The incident sparked anger among passengers, who questioned the railway’s operational efficiency.
Travellers pointed out that such an extended delay without any visible technical or natural disruption raises concerns about traffic management on the route.
Passengers have urged railway authorities to review train operations and speed management on the Chakradharpur–Tatanagar section to prevent similar disruptions in the future.
For now, the incident has once again highlighted the challenges of managing heavy rail traffic on this busy corridor.
Meanwhile, Train No. 13301, the Dhanbad–Adityapur (Jamshedpur) Swarnarekha Express, experienced a sluggish run between Chandil and Adityapur on Friday, significantly delaying its arrival.
The train moved at a crawling pace along the section, reflecting the persistent operational constraints that often affect services on this busy stretch of the railway network.
As a result, the Swarnarekha Express finally reached Adityapur at 2:31 pm, running 2 hours and 26 minutes behind schedule.
The delay inconvenienced passengers, many of whom were left waiting anxiously as the train inched its way toward its destination.
