Shatabdi passengers left stranded for hours

Mohit Khanna 

Tribune News Service 

Chandigarh, March 20

Over 100 passengers travelling in Delhi-Chandigarh Shatabdi were left stranded at Lalru after the train was stopped for several hours due to maintenance work of the Dappar-Chandigarh track.

The train that started its journey at 5.15 pm from Delhi was halted at Ambala around 7 pm.

Passengers complained that no one was informed about the reason as to why the train was made to halt.

Kulbir Brar, a resident of Sector 36-B here, who was travelling in the train, said: “Passengers were left stranded and no official informed us about the halt”.

When the passengers argued with officials, they were told that the train would run only after they receive a signal.

“The passengers should have been informed about the halt while they were boarding the train in Delhi. Common man was made to suffer for none of their fault. Had any VIP or a politician would have been travelling in the train, it would have been taken straight to Chandigarh without any delay,” complained Brar.

Some of the stranded passengers boarded a bus to reach Chandigarh.

A woman passenger complained that after confrontation with officials, the train was moved from Ambala, but it was again halted at Lalru.

“The train was scheduled to reach Chandigarh station around 8.40 pm. Now, we have been told that the train will run around 11 pm,” complained the woman passenger.

DRM Dinesh Sharma said maintenance work of the track was going on from 12 noon to 6 pm. However, due to some technical glitch, the movement of evening trains was affected.

Sources said the evening Shatabdi heading from Chandigarh to Delhi was also delayed for four hours.