The ongoing upgrades to railway infrastructure at Puri station in Odisha have begun to severely affect train schedules at Tatanagar, resulting in considerable delays and inconvenience for passengers.

On Monday, several long-distance trains using this route were delayed by hours, with the Puri-Anand Vihar Purushottam Express and the Puri-Rishikesh Kalinga Utkal Express being among the most affected, arriving at Tatanagar far later than anticipated.

The chain reaction of delays has disrupted travel plans for countless passengers heading to or from states such as Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Odisha. Railway officials noted that the ongoing yard expansion at Puri has created significant operational bottlenecks, necessitating the rescheduling of departures and adjustments to train timings heading towards West Bengal and other connecting routes.

Widespread Disruption

The scheduling issues were not confined to the Odisha route alone. Passengers traveling on the Mumbai line also faced similar challenges on Monday, with essential trains like the Gitanjali Express arriving at Tatanagar well behind their scheduled times.

Frustrated passengers stranded at Tatanagar expressed their dissatisfaction regarding the unpredictable delays. One traveler remarked, “While we recognize the importance of infrastructure development, the lack of timely updates makes it extremely difficult to plan subsequent journeys, particularly when traveling with families.”

In light of the situation, railway authorities have advised travelers to check real-time train statuses before heading to the stations as work continues to expand and enhance the Puri station yard.