• Moumi Mousumi
• 30 Apr, 2025

A 19-day nightmare begins April 30th, 2025 as South Eastern Railway cancels over 200 local and 27 express trains on the Howrah-Kharagpur line. Santragachi station’s modernisation triggers this upheaval, leaving commuters and travellers in West Bengal grappling with major disruptions.

Details & Context

Starting April 30th and running through May 18th, 2025 the bustling Howrah-Kharagpur railway line, a critical artery for West Bengal, faces severe service interruptions. The South Eastern Railway’s Kharagpur Division is upgrading Santragachi station with modernisation and pre-non-interlocking (pre-NI) work, leading to the cancellation of over 200 local trains and 27 express trains. Several trains will also face route shortening or schedule changes, according to railway officials.

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This disruption hits daily commuters in Kolkata, Howrah and nearby areas hardest while long-distance passengers on routes like Pune-Gorakhpur and Gorakhpur-Kochuveli face cancellations. X posts from users like @BengalCommute show mounting frustration, with hashtags like #TrainCancel and #HowrahDisruption trending. Web searches confirm the Howrah-Kharagpur line’s significance, handling thousands of passengers daily, making this a massive inconvenience.

Northeast Railway’s Gorakhpur Junction to Gorakhpur Cantt Division is also undergoing interlocking work, adding to the chaos with cancellations in April and May. Notable express trains affected include,

Train Services Disrupted: Cancellations on Gorakhpur Routes in April-May 2025,

·      Pune-Gorakhpur Express (Train No. 11037): Service suspended on May 2nd, 2025.

·      Gorakhpur-Pune Express (Train No. 11038): Cancelled on May 3rd, 2025.

·      Gorakhpur-Kochuveli Express (Train No. 12511): No service on April 27th, May 1st, May 2nd and May 4th, 2025.

·      Kochuveli-Gorakhpur Express (Train No. 12512): Cancelled on April 30th, May 4th, May 6th and May 7th, 2025.

·      Gorakhpur-Secunderabad Express (Train No. 12589): Suspended on April 30th, 2025.

·      Secunderabad-Gorakhpur Express (Train No. 12590): No service on May 1st, 2025.

·      Gorakhpur-Yesvantpur Express (Train No. 12591): Cancelled on April 26th, 2025.

·      Secunderabad-Gorakhpur Express (Train No. 12592): Suspended on April 28th, 2025.

·      Gorakhpur-Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus Express (Train No. 12597): No service on April 29th, 2025.

·      Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus-Gorakhpur Express (Train No. 12598): Cancelled on April 30th, 2025.

·      Lokmanya Tilak Terminus-Gorakhpur Express (Train No. 15017): Suspended from April 27th to May 3rd, 2025.

·      Gorakhpur-Lokmanya Tilak Terminus Express (Train No. 15018): Cancelled from April 27th to May 3rd, 2025.

·      Gorakhpur-Yesvantpur Express (Train No. 15023): No service on April 29th, 2025.

·      Yesvantpur-Gorakhpur Express (Train No. 15024): Cancelled on April 24th and May 1st, 2025.

·      Gorakhpur-Pune Express (Train No. 15029): Suspended on April 24th and May 1st, 2025.

·      Pune-Gorakhpur Express (Train No. 15030): Cancelled on April 26th and May 3rd, 2025.

·      Gorakhpur-Okha Express (Train No. 15045): No service on April 24th and May 1st, 2025.

·      Okha-Gorakhpur Express (Train No. 15046): Cancelled on April 27th and May 4th, 2025.

·      Gorakhpur-Panvel Express (Train No. 15065): Suspended on April 24th, 25th, 27th, 28th, 29th, May 1st, 2nd and 4th, 2025.

·      Panvel-Gorakhpur Express (Train No. 15066): Cancelled on April 25th, 26th, 28th, 29th, 30th, May 2nd, 3rd and 5th, 2025.

·      Gorakhpur-Bandra Express (Train No. 15067): No service on April 30th, 2025.

·      Bandra Terminus-Gorakhpur Express (Train No. 15068): Cancelled on April 25th and May 2nd, 2025.

·      Gorakhpur-Lokmanya Tilak Express (Train No. 200103): Suspended from April 23rd to May 2nd, 2025.

·      Lokmanya Tilak-Gorakhpur Express (Train No. 200104): Cancelled from April 23rd to May 3rd, 2025.

·      Gorakhpur-Yesvantpur Express (Train No. 22533): No service on April 28th, 2025.

·      Yesvantpur-Gorakhpur Express (Train No. 22534): Cancelled on April 30th, 2025.

Railway authorities, as noted in X posts by @RailNewsIndia, advise checking IRCTC for updates. The lack of clear alternative transport options has sparked outrage, with @KolkataTraveler tweeting, “19 days without trains.? This is a disaster for workers.!” Web reports highlight similar disruptions in 2023 which led to crowded buses and inflated cab fares, a pattern likely to repeat.

Quotes

·      “How are we supposed to get to work.? This is a mess.!” tweeted @HowrahCommuter, capturing the public’s dismay on X.

·      “Upgrades are fine but why now, during peak travel season.?” asked a railway worker, quoted in an X thread by @BengalNews.

·      “Passengers, please check IRCTC or call the helpline for updates,” urged @RailUpdates, a key X account for railway news.

Additional Information

The Santragachi modernisation aims to enhance platform capacity and signalling, promising long-term efficiency. However, the timing—coinciding with summer travel—has drawn criticism. Express trains like Gorakhpur-Secunderabad and Gorakhpur-Yesvantpur are among those cancelled, disrupting inter-state travel. Northeast Railway’s Gorakhpur cancellations, affecting over 20 trains like Train 15017 (Lokmanya Tilak-Gorakhpur Express, April 27–May 3), compound the issue.

X discussions reveal commuters’ struggles, with @DailyWageWorker highlighting the impact on low-income groups. Railways have proposed limited bus services but details are scarce, as noted in X posts. Web sources indicate past disruptions on this line caused chaos at bus terminals and similar challenges are expected. The hashtag #TrainCancel has exploded, with 15K+ mentions on X in 48 hours, signalling high public interest.

Read More: Bengal Weather Alert: Heavy Rain and Storms Sweep South Bengal

Impact Analysis

The cancellations spell disaster for daily commuters—office-goers, students and vendors—who depend on local trains. With over 200 trains scrapped, buses and cabs will be overwhelmed, likely hiking fares. Long-distance travellers face rescheduling headaches, with X users reporting underfunded tickets. Economically, reduced commuter traffic could hurt businesses in Howrah and Kharagpur markets. Daily wage earners, unable to travel, risk income loss, a concern echoed in X posts like “No train, no pay.! #HowrahDisruption.”

The 19-day train cancellations on the Howrah-Kharagpur line are a harsh blow to West Bengal’s commuters and travellers. While station upgrades are necessary, better planning could have softened the impact. Passengers must stay informed and seek alternatives to weather this storm of disruptions.

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