Train services get disrupted due to power block on Sealdah South section

Train services on the Sealdah South section faced severe disruptions on Sunday morning, leaving thousands of weekend commuters stranded and frustrated. The primary cause of the chaos was an eight-hour power and traffic block at Park Circus station, initiated for the demolition of an old foot overbridge. While the block was scheduled to end by 6:40 AM, the ripple effects caused local trains to run two to three hours behind schedule well into the late morning.

Passengers arriving at Sealdah station were met with "blacked-out" display boards and a lack of official announcements regarding train timings. Usually, the first train to Lakshmikantpur departs at 4:00 AM, but on this day, services only resumed after a grueling three-hour wait. The lack of clear communication led to massive overcrowding on platforms, as passengers for various lines—including Canning, Diamond Harbour, and Budge Budge—waited anxiously for any updates.

To manage the block, the Eastern Railway diverted several services, with trains from the South running only up to Ballygunge or Sonarpur instead of reaching Sealdah. Commuters headed to destinations like Santoshpur and Baruipur reported extreme harassment, as they had to navigate through surging crowds to board the few trains that did arrive. Although Sunday is a holiday for many office-goers, the disruption heavily impacted those traveling for social visits and personal errands.