Railway Board Shifts Several Trains to Ease New Delhi Station Congestion
Jamshedpur: The Puri–New Delhi Purushottam Express, which runs via Tatanagar, will soon terminate and originate from Anand Vihar Terminal instead of New Delhi Railway Station. This directive was issued by the Railway Board on 12 June 2025 as part of a broader plan to ease congestion at the overcrowded New Delhi station.
The decision has been taken in light of the upcoming redevelopment work at New Delhi station. The revised schedule shows the train arriving at Anand Vihar at 3:50 am, slightly earlier than its current 4:00 am arrival at New Delhi. The return journey will begin from Anand Vihar at 10:50 pm, replacing the existing 10:40 pm departure from New Delhi.
Along with Purushottam Express, six other trains operating on the Mumbai and Howrah routes will also be shifted to Anand Vihar Terminal. Officials stated that this move aims to reduce the pressure on New Delhi station, which currently handles around five lakh passengers daily across 16 platforms and approximately 350 trains.
In addition to Anand Vihar, trains may also be rerouted through Hazrat Nizamuddin and other nearby terminals, citing both operational efficiency and security concerns.
Similarly, the New Delhi–New Jalpaiguri Superfast Express (12523/12524) will also operate from Anand Vihar Terminal.
The New Delhi–Jalandhar City Express (14681/14682), New Delhi–Amritsar Express (14679/14680), and Saharsa–Amritsar Express (12203/12204) will be shifted to Delhi Junction (Old Delhi). Meanwhile, the New Delhi–Mumbai Central Duronto Express (22209/22210) will now run from Hazrat Nizamuddin station.
This decision is part of a larger plan to manage the passenger load more efficiently during the redevelopment of New Delhi station. However, the exact dates of these operational changes are yet to be announced.
