My  journey from New Delhi to Gorakhpur and then to Chhapra showed the poor performance of the railways. I started at 2000 hours on 2nd from New Delhi for Gorakhpur to attend the BSNLEU/UF convention. The train was scheduled to reach Gorakhpur by 1000 hours on 3rd January, but it reached there at 1430 hours, four hours late. Heavy fog was one reason. But it was not the only reason. The train was being stopped at all stations for a very long time, reason not known.

Since the meeting at Gorakhpur was to start at 1100 hours, from the railway station I was taken directly to the meeting. After welcome etc. I spoke for about one hour and had a press meet. I had to rush to the railway station by 1700 to catch the intercity express to Chhapra. We reached the station at 1700 hours, but the train was late by half an hour. And it reached at Chhapra at 2300 hours, late by one and half hours. Any way, our comrades were waiting in the chilly night to receive me.

How many people are suffering daily due to undue delay of the trains!