Train services on the busy Sealdah–Dankuni section were thrown into chaos on Wednesday night after an overhead electric wire snapped near Dakshineswar railway station. The technical failure brought movement
on both the up and down lines to a standstill, leaving hundreds of commuters stranded and causing widespread disruption across the network.
The incident took place at around 8:50 pm when a down Dankuni–Sealdah local train became immobilised after the overhead equipment developed a fault. As a result, rail traffic on the route was suspended while railway engineers began emergency restoration work.
Repair work continues
Railway officials deployed a tower wagon to the affected location to repair the damaged overhead wire. Restoration work continued late into the night, and train operations remained suspended on both lines for several hours. Authorities were working to restore power supply and ensure the tracks were safe before allowing train movement to resume.
The stranded local train also blocked the corridor, preventing other services from operating between Sealdah and Dankuni during the repair period.
Daily commuters face major inconvenience
The Sealdah–Dankuni corridor is one of the busiest suburban rail routes in the Kolkata metropolitan region, carrying thousands of office-goers, students, and daily passengers every day. The sudden suspension of services forced many commuters to wait at stations for extended periods, while others had to look for alternative modes of transport to reach their destinations.
Passengers travelling during the evening rush hour were among the worst affected, with overcrowding reported at several stations as delays continued to mount.
Delays spread across other suburban routes
The disruption was not limited to the Dankuni section. Train schedules on the Sealdah Main Line and the Bangaon Line were also affected, with several local services running significantly behind schedule. The cascading delays created difficulties for passengers returning home after work, leading to congestion at platforms across the suburban network.
