Northern Railway Cancels Dozens of Trains, Alters Services Amid Operational Reasons; Commuters Face Major Disruption
Northern Railway has cancelled dozens of passenger and suburban train services while short-terminating and short-originating several others, citing operational reasons, leading to widespread disruption for daily commuters travelling to and from the National Capital Region (NCR).
The cancellations, announced through an official press release by Northern Railway, affect a large number of EMU, MEMU and passenger services operating between Delhi, Ghaziabad, Palwal, Aligarh, Khurja, Panipat, Mathura, Agra Cantt, Tundla, Hodal and other nearby destinations. Several long-distance trains have also been cancelled on subsequent dates due to the non-availability of rakes.
The extensive disruption has particularly affected office-goers, students and daily commuters who depend on the suburban rail network connecting Delhi with neighbouring cities in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.
Meanwhile, sources have claimed that the large-scale cancellations are aimed at discouraging public movement towards Delhi in view of the proposed CJP protest. However, Northern Railway has not confirmed this claim and has officially attributed the cancellations solely to “operational reasons.” No official statement has linked the train cancellations to the protest.
Over Two Dozen Services Cancelled on July 23
According to the notification, several key suburban services operating on the Ghaziabad-Delhi, Delhi-Khurja, Delhi-Aligarh, Delhi-Palwal and Delhi-Panipat corridors have been cancelled on July 23, while additional services have been cancelled on July 24 and July 25.
Among the cancelled services are:
- Ghaziabad–Delhi EMU (64443)
- Delhi–Khurja (64108 & 64106)
- New Delhi–Ghaziabad (64426, 64410, 64422)
- Ghaziabad–New Delhi (64429, 64441, 64415)
- Delhi–Ghaziabad (64412, 64418)
- New Delhi–Aligarh Junction (64110)
- Delhi–Aligarh Junction (64102)
- Delhi–Hodal (64582)
- Delhi–Panipat (64533)
- Panipat–Ghaziabad (64534)
- Shakurbasti–Palwal (64012)
- Palwal–Shakurbasti (64013)
- Shakurbasti–Dankaur (64112)
- New Delhi–Palwal (64078)
- Palwal–Ghaziabad (64057)
- Dankaur–Delhi Junction (64107)
- Aligarh–Delhi Junction (64151)
- Khurja–Ghaziabad (64113)
In addition, trains including New Delhi-Kosi Kalan (64074), Palwal-Agra Cantt (64958) and Ghaziabad-Tundla (64167) scheduled for July 24 have also been cancelled.
Long-Distance Trains Also Affected
Apart from suburban services, several important long-distance trains have also been cancelled due to the non-availability of rakes.
These include:
| Train No. | Route | Date | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12952 | New Delhi – Mumbai Central | July 24 | Cancelled |
| 12910 | Hazrat Nizamuddin – Bandra Terminus | July 24 | Want of rake |
| 12954 | Hazrat Nizamuddin – Mumbai Central | July 24 | Want of rake |
| 15934 | Amritsar – New Tinsukia | July 24 | Want of rake |
| 12472 | (Train No. 12472) | July 25 | Want of rake |
| 12926 | Amritsar – Bandra Terminus | July 25 | Want of rake |
Several suburban services scheduled on July 24, including Palwal-New Delhi, New Delhi-Palwal, Ghaziabad-Delhi and Delhi-Panipat services, have also been cancelled because of rake constraints.
Several Trains to Run on Shortened Routes
Northern Railway has also announced short termination and short origination of six trains.
The affected services include:
| Train | Revised Operation |
|---|---|
| 64019 Mathura-Shakurbasti | Short terminated at Palwal |
| 64016 Shakurbasti-Mathura | Short originated from Palwal |
| 64082 New Delhi-Kosi Kalan | Short terminated at Palwal |
| 64051 Kosi Kalan-Ghaziabad | Short originated from Palwal |
| 15305 New Delhi-Rohtak | Short terminated at Bahadurgarh |
| 15306 Rohtak-New Delhi | Short originated from Bahadurgarh |
Passengers travelling beyond Palwal or Bahadurgarh will have to make alternate travel arrangements.
Heavy Impact on NCR Commuters
The cancellations have significantly impacted commuters travelling daily between Delhi and surrounding cities such as Ghaziabad, Palwal, Faridabad, Aligarh, Khurja, Panipat, Mathura and Hodal.
Since many of the affected trains are EMU and MEMU services operating during peak office hours, passengers may experience overcrowding in the remaining trains as well as delays in reaching workplaces and educational institutions.
The disruption is expected to continue over the next two days, with additional cancellations already notified for July 24 and July 25.
Railway Advises Passengers to Check Before Travelling
Northern Railway has advised passengers to verify the latest running status of trains before commencing their journey. Travellers can obtain updated information through the National Train Enquiry System (NTES) or by calling the Railway helpline 139.
While speculation regarding the timing of these cancellations continues, the Railway administration has maintained that the decisions have been taken strictly due to operational reasons, and no official communication has associated the service changes with any protest or law-and-order situation.
Passengers are therefore advised to rely only on official railway updates and make travel plans accordingly until normal operations are restored.
