Goa Express arrives 90 minutes early at Manmad junction, leaves in 5 minutes, without 45 passengers | Nashik News – Times of India

NASHIK: Forty-five passengers of the Delhi-bound Vasco da Gama Nizamuddin-Goa Express, for no fault of their own, missed their train from the Manmad junction on Thursday. The train reached the station almost one-and-a-half hours ahead of its scheduled time – because of a route diversion – and left without waiting for the passengers who were unaware of this development.

The scheduled time for the train’s arrival at the Manmad junction is 10.35am. On Thursday, the train rolled in early, at 9.05am. And then promptly left at 9.10am. The matter came to light only after passengers, who had tickets for the train, reached the station by 9.45am and found out that the train had already left the station.
Agitated passengers then went to the station manager’s office to seek an explanation and to demand alternative arrangements for them to continue their journey. They wanted to know how their train could leave ahead of schedule.

Goa Exp leaves before time, 45 passengers left behind
“The Goa Express, which usually runs via Miraj, Pune and Daund before reaching the Manmad junction, was diverted. On Thursday, the train took the route via Ratnagiri, Panvel, Kalyan and Nashik Road to reach Manmad. The diverted train arrived early at the Manmad junction – at 9.05am. Ideally, it should have been made to wait here till its time of regular departure. That did not happen,” said Shivraj Manaspure, the chief public relations officer of the central railway zone.
According to the officer, passengers who could not board the Goa Express were accommodated in the Mumbai-Howrah Gitanjali Express that followed the Delhi-bound train. Both trains have a common route till the Bhusawal junction.
“The Gitanjali Express, which does not have a scheduled halt at Manmad, was made to stop here at 11.26am. The 45 passengers of the Delhi train boarded Gitanjali. Meanwhile, the station manager of the Jalgaon junction, which is between Manmad and Bhusawal, was asked to detain the Goa Express there till these passengers (onboard Gitanjali Express) reached the station,” another senior officer said.
The authorities said since there were some developmental works being carried out, Goa Express took more than four hours to cover the two-hour Manmad-Jalgaon journey. It reached Jalgaon only by 1.16pm. It was detained there for 30minutes. When the Gitanjali Express reached Jalgaon by 1.35pm, the 45 passengers were shifted to the waiting Goa Express. The train left at 1.46pm.
Railway authorities said they were acquiring the details of the incident, and the administration is conducting an inquiry. “The authorities have called for a report. What led to this situation would be assessed and corrective measures would be taken to ensure such things do not recur,” the officer said.