Patna: Train services across several key routes in north Bihar have been affected after the railways canceled 18 passenger trains and diverted 23 others due to non-interlocking (NI) work on the Samastipur–Darbhanga section under the Samastipur division of East Central Railway (ECR). The disruption, which will continue from May 11 to 14, is part of an ongoing track doubling project aimed at improving rail connectivity and operational efficiency in the region.According to Samastipur PRO RK Singh, apart from cancellations and diversions, 20 passenger trains have been short-terminated at different stations in the division, while seven others have been rescheduled by one to three hours during the maintenance period. Trains operating on routes such as Samastipur–Manihari, Darbhanga–Samastipur, Ara–Jayanagar, Muzaffarpur–Jayanagar, Darbhanga–Varanasi City, Samastipur–Barauni and Samastipur–Muzaffarpur will remain cancelled, he said.Several long-distance trains have also been diverted via alternative routes, including the Samastipur–Muzaffarpur–Sitamarhi and Darbhanga–Sitamarhi–Raxaul–Sugauli sections. Key trains running on diverted routes include the Gondia–Raxaul Express, Jayanagar–Ara, Darbhanga–New Delhi Clone Special, Jayanagar–Amritsar Express, Darbhanga–Amritsar Express, Amritsar–Jayanagar Express, Tirupati–Raxaul Express, Darbhanga–Ahmedabad Express and Raxaul–Howrah Express.The railways have appealed to passengers to check the latest train schedules and running status before commencing their journeys. The PRO said temporary inconvenience is necessary for infrastructure upgrades that will enhance safety and reduce congestion on one of the busiest rail corridors in the region, adding that non-interlocking work is a crucial stage in the track doubling process to enable smoother train movement and increase line capacity in the Samastipur division.
