Patna,(BiharTimes): It remains a mystery as to how Rajdhani Express from New Delhi to Patna arrived on time––even before time––on December 14 and 15 when almost all the trains running in north India have been running late by two to 12 hours?

The railway officials are once again attributing the delay to fog, but many passengers who are travelling on this route dispute this claim. On December 14, Prof Anand Kumar of JNU, arrived in Patna to speak in Aruna Sinha Foundation Lecture at Gandhi Sanghralaya. His train Rajdhani Express, according to him, arrived 20 minutes before time, when on the same day the Times of India carried a report stating that 30 trains in Danapur division are running late because of dense fog.

The story, quoting official sources, said that all the trains are travelling at the speed of 40-60 km per hour. But the moot question remained as to how Rajdhani, in which Professor Kumar had travelled reached 20 minutes before. How could this train, running on the same route, travelled at the speed of 140 kms per hour.

While talking to BiharTimes he even joked: “see people unnecessarily defame Bihar and UP.” He himself is originally from Benaras. It was not only by fluke that Rajdhani arrived 20 minutes before on December 14. Dr Shahid Hussain Siddiqui, who works in a reputed hospital in Saudi Arabia, arrived in Patna by Rajdhani Express.

When asked: was it right time. The reply was in affirmative. When asked was not there any fog the doctor replied: “No, in fact it was raining”.In contrast the Jharkhand Express from Anand Vihar to Hatia (Ranchi) on December 13-14 was late by 12 hours. The Up train which reached Anand Vihar on December 13 was also late by six hours.

Up and Down Poorva Express on December 13 was rescheduled by four hours from Kolkata and eight hours from New Delhi.Down New Delhi-Gaya Mahabodhi Express reached Gaya on December 15 six hours late while on subsequent day (December 16) it reached New Delhi about 12 hours late. Mind it Mahabodhi carries a lot of national and international tourists and pilgrims to Gaya and Bodh Gaya, especially in winter season.

The train reaching Patna––apart from Rajdhanis––tell the same story. Last seek Sampoorna Kranti had to be rescheduled by about 12 hours twice. The East Central Railway has decided to have an extra rake for Sampoorna Kranti to overcome the crisis.It is very easy to blame fog and flood for late running of trains but why was Sampoorna Kranti, which had originated from New Delhi on November 25 last reached Patna eight hours late on the following day when the sky was quite clear?If trains on Grand Chord and Main Line are running so late, one can only guess the fate of other trains passing through trans-Ganga north Bihar.

The story of Rajdhanis and Shatabdis suggest that prestigious trains run on time at the expense of other trains. Will this be the story of Bullet? Though––unlike Rajdhani and Shatabdi––it would run on a dedicated track, yet it is a fact that the railway would pay much more attention on it than on other trains.