Prayagraj: Around 30 trains under the North Central Railway (NCR) have been cancelled or affected on Friday and Saturday due to anticipated traffic congestion in the national capital ahead of a proposed protest by the CJP in New Delhi, leaving passengers scrambling to revise travel plans and arrange alternatives.The cancellations follow an advisory warning of heavy congestion around New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin railway stations between 4 am and 2 pm on Oct 10.The disruption has impacted several key services connecting Prayagraj, Kanpur, Lucknow, Varanasi and other cities with Delhi. Passengers who booked tickets weeks in advance are among those facing inconvenience, with many having to rearrange onward connections and make alternative travel arrangements at short notice.Among the major affected services are the 12417 Prayagraj Express and 12275 Humsafar Express, scheduled to run from Prayagraj to New Delhi on Friday. Their return services, 12418 Prayagraj Express and 12276 Humsafar Express, have also been cancelled for Saturday. The 12559 Shiv Ganga Express from Banaras to New Delhi has been cancelled for Friday, while its return service will remain cancelled on Saturday.Other trains affected include the 12033 Kanpur Central-New Delhi Shatabdi Express, the 82501 Lucknow-New Delhi Tejas Express and the 12964 Mewar Express from Udaipur City to Hazrat Nizamuddin. Several Rajdhani Express services connecting Delhi with Howrah, Sealdah, Rajendra Nagar and Mumbai have also been cancelled.In many cases, the cancellation of an outgoing service has been followed by the cancellation of its return journey the next day, further reducing travel options for passengers.The move has drawn criticism from travellers, who argue that ordinary passengers should not bear the brunt of circumstances beyond their control.“Govt should either stop the protest or allow it to proceed, but common passengers should not suffer for no fault of theirs. We book tickets weeks in advance, plan our work and family commitments, and then a cancellation leaves us stranded with few alternatives,” said a passenger.For those travelling for medical appointments, official work or family emergencies, the disruption has meant more than a change in schedule. Securing confirmed seats on alternative trains at short notice is proving difficult, particularly for families and groups travelling together.Railway authorities have advised passengers to check the latest status of their trains before leaving for stations and to verify both onward and return journeys to avoid inconvenience.
