Signal failure on Burdwan-Katwa line halt services for over two hours

Train services on the Burdwan-Katwa section were hit hard on Tuesday morning due to a sudden signal failure that occurred around 7 a.m. The technical glitch, which railway authorities attributed to ongoing signal maintenance work, left hundreds of passengers stranded at various stations during the critical morning rush. The impact was felt most by office workers, students, and daily wage earners who rely on this line for their livelihoods.

According to railway sources, the Katwa-bound local train that departed from Burdwan at 8:50 a.m. was forced to make unscheduled stops at several intermediate stations. As a result, the train reached Katwa station significantly behind schedule at 9:25 a.m. This delay had a domino effect, preventing the return local train bound for Burdwan from departing on time. The return train remained stationary at Katwa until 9:30 a.m., leading to mounting frustration among commuters.

The disruption sparked anger among regular passengers, many of whom questioned the lack of advance warnings or alternative measures. Commuters like Subir Mondal and Babin Sarkar expressed their concerns over the recurring nature of such technical issues on this specific route. 

Railway technicians worked on a war footing to rectify the error, and by 10 a.m., the signaling system was fully restored. While authorities have confirmed that services are now back to normal, the morning's delay resulted in many reaching their workplaces and educational institutions late.