- By Akansha Pandey
- Thu, 04 Dec 2025 12:00 PM (IST)
- Source:Jagran News Network
The troubles for rail passengers at Gorakhpur Junction show no signs of abating. On Wednesday, a major safety lapse occurred when the simultaneous arrival of two trains on platforms three and four triggered a stampede-like situation. The ensuing chaos left the eastern foot overbridge (FOB) jammed for approximately 30 minutes, forcing dozens of passengers to risk their lives by hopping onto the railway tracks to catch their trains.
Overcrowding And Panic On The Bridge
The incident unfolded around 04:40 pm when the Maurya Express arrived at platform four. As passengers began alighting and exiting via the eastern FOB, the Darbhanga-Delhi Clone Special Express (Train No. 02569) arrived on the adjacent platform three.
The sudden convergence of arriving and departing passengers caused a massive bottleneck. According to passengers Shivendra Kumar, Chanchal and Manoj Kumar, there was no standing room left on the bridge. The crowd swelled instantly, leaving people stuck where they stood. The situation became distressing for the elderly, women, and children, with many fearing suffocation in the crush.
Passengers Jump On Tracks
Several Injured Seeing the complete deadlock on the FOB, desperation took over. Dozens of passengers climbed down onto the railway lines to board the Delhi-bound Clone Express. Several passengers reportedly sustained injuries during the scramble. The chaos reigned for half an hour and only eased once the Clone Express departed at 05:08 pm.
Display Board Malfunction Adds To Confusion
Compounding the chaos was a misleading electronic display board on platforms three and four. Despite the Gorakhpur-Banaras Intercity having departed at 04:15 pm, the board continued to display its details.
Passengers were left unable to distinguish between trains that had arrived, those that were stationary, and those that had already departed. Commuters noted that such technical glitches have become a frequent source of trouble at the station.
Infrastructure Woes And Construction
Delays the root of the overcrowding issue appears to be the demolition of the main central foot overbridge. This has shifted the entire passenger load onto the eastern FOB, which is now operating beyond its capacity.
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Furthermore, passengers expressed frustration over the slow pace of construction on the new FOB. Observations suggest that at the current pace, the work might not be completed even in five years. There are growing concerns that the railway administration’s indifference could lead to a severe accident at any time.
Severe Train Delays
Continue Beyond the station chaos, punctuality has collapsed, worsening the plight of passengers.
Gorakhpur-LTT Express (Train No. 2014): Departed about four and a half hours late. Passengers who arrived at 10 pm were forced to wait in the shivering cold until the train arrived at 3 am.
Clone Express (Train No. 02564): Running two and a half hours late.
New Delhi-Darbhanga Express (Train No. 02570): Running five hours late.
With routine trains slowing down and cancellations rising, passengers remain in a state of constant distress.