The Persistent Delays of the Duronto Express on the Mumbai Howrah Route: An Extensive Analysis

Travelers from Mumbai to Howrah have become accustomed to enduring lengthy delays with the Duronto Express. This comprehensive analysis delves into the chronic lateness of the train and examines the numerous factors contributing to extended travel times.

Chronology of Persistent Delays

The duration of delays with the Duronto Express on the Mumbai-Howrah route has become a regular occurrence. On many days, the train is seldom less than 4-5 hours late, and it has even been known to be as much as 8-12 hours late. This issue has given rise to routine re-scheduling of trains to compensate for the delays.

Unscheduled Halt Prolongations

Innumerably frequent unscheduled halts are another issue that significantly extends travel time. These halts often last for prolonged periods, sometimes as long as 30-45 minutes. This disruption not only adds up the overall journey time but also complicates the train's operational schedule.

Train Delay Breakdown

The extent of delays on the Howrah-Mumbai sector is relatively minor, with the train being generally around 5 minutes late. However, on the Tatanagar-Bilaspur stretch, the delay stretches to at least 2.5-3.5 hours. Several key bottlenecks contribute to this delay:

At Gamharia, Sini, Rajkharsawan on the Tatanagar-Chakradhapur stretch, where Chakradharpur station has no halt. Posotia, Manoharipur, Jaraikela-Bisra, Bondamunda on the Chakradhapur-Rourkela section, with Jaraikela-Bisra and Bondamunda also being no halt stations. Panposh, Raj Gangpur, Bamra on the Rourkela-Jharsuguda route, where both Rourkela and Jharsuguda are no halt stations. Ib, Kotarlia, Raigarh, Kharsia, Sakti, Champa on the Jharsuguda-Bilaspur stretch, where these stations are also no halt stations. Bilaspur is a scheduled 10-minute halt, but the train often waits for 20 minutes or more. At Raipur, where the addition of a halt has led to the train taking the main line instead of the bypass, thereby increasing journey time. Raipur's actual halt time is rarely below 10 minutes, even though the scheduled halt period is only 2 minutes.

The Raipur-Nagpur stretch offers some respite, with the train making up 25-30 minutes of the time lost due to delays. However, the Nagpur-Bhusaval section is a tight one, where the train consistently loses 1-1.5 hours due to unscheduled halts at various stations. This is further compounded by the uncertain time taken for banker activities at Igatpuri/Kasara, resulting in additional delays. The Kalyan-CSTM segment, despite being a small stretch, does not see significant delays as it is inconsequential.

Influencing Factors

The persistent delays of the Duronto Express are exacerbated by several other factors:

Adequate platform numbers at major halt and no halt stations, which affects the train's ability to run smoothly at non-halt stations. Implementation of the main line route at Raipur, which increases journey time due to congestion compared to the bypass. Uncertain time taken for banker activities at Igatpuri/Kasara, leading to additional delays.

With the high-speed nature of the Duronto Express, it is inherently more challenging to make up for these delays. Additionally, disturbances to the schedules of other trains are not always feasible to accommodate the late running Duronto Express.

Conclusion

The Duronto Express on the Mumbai-Howrah route has become synonymous with prolonged delays. However, understanding the factors contributing to these delays can help mitigate some of the issues. Travelers and transport authorities must work together to find solutions to reduce these delays and improve the overall travel experience.