SCR cites operational constraints for denying Congress leaders special train to Delhi

Hyderabad: South Central Railway (SCR) on Wednesday clarified that it could not arrange a special train to New Delhi, as requested by Congress MPs, due to the short notice and operational constraints. The railway authorities said such requests require adequate advance notice to assess feasibility and make necessary arrangements, including rake, locomotive and crew availability, maintenance and inter-zonal coordination.

The proposed Secunderabad–New Delhi service would have required coordination and concurrence among multiple railway zones, along with timetable approvals to ensure regular train services were not affected. Referring to the Congress leaders’ protest at Rail Nilayam over the non-sanctioning of the train, SCR said the decision should not be construed as unwillingness to cooperate, but was purely due to operational requirements.

SCR added that it had planned special trains to meet the additional passenger rush during Diwali and Chhath Puja. It reiterated its commitment to passenger-friendly services and assistance for special events, subject to operational feasibility and safety requirements.