Eastern Railway has cancelled two Rajdhani Express services scheduled to leave Howrah and Sealdah on 9 October 2026, citing the possibility of severe traffic congestion near New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin railway stations the following day.
The cancelled services include train number 12313, the Sealdah–New Delhi Rajdhani Express, and train number 12301, identified in the railway communication as the Howrah–Sealdah Rajdhani Express. The decision was announced in a notice issued on Friday and reported by Bartaman Patrika.
According to information posted on the DRM Sealdah Facebook page, the two trains were cancelled because extensive congestion was expected in areas around New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin stations on 10 October. The railway said the measure was taken with passenger safety and convenience in mind.
The expected disruption is linked to a proposed protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on 10 October. The source report said the gathering could lead to heavy traffic congestion in the national capital. The railway’s notice, however, specifically cited anticipated congestion near the two railway stations as the operational reason for cancelling the services.
The cancellation affects passengers who had planned overnight journeys from eastern India to Delhi. Rajdhani Express services are among the principal long-distance rail links between Kolkata and the national capital, and the withdrawal of both services could require affected travellers to revise their plans. The supplied railway communication did not specify alternative trains, revised arrangements or the process for refunds and ticket cancellations.
The notice also indicated that other Delhi-bound trains had been cancelled, although the available information did not identify those services or provide details of the extent of the wider disruption. Passengers booked on the two Rajdhani services will need to check the latest information from Eastern Railway and the relevant reservation channels before travelling.
The cancellation demonstrates how conditions outside the railway network can affect long-distance train operations. Access roads, station approaches and surrounding public areas are particularly important for passenger movement at major terminals such as New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin. In this case, Eastern Railway has treated the anticipated road congestion and associated passenger movement risks as sufficient grounds for cancelling services before their scheduled departure.
The railway notice referred to services scheduled for 9 October and congestion expected on 10 October. Eastern Railway’s next operational updates, including information on other affected trains and passenger arrangements, will determine how the disruption is managed.
