Howrah New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express resumes service after track restoration
The 22301 Howrah–New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express has officially resumed operations, becoming the first coaching train to successfully traverse the newly restored track section at New Farakka. This major milestone brings immense relief to daily commuters and long-distance travellers after severe weather conditions disrupted vital rail links across the region. Passengers can now travel smoothly between South Bengal, North Bengal, and the Northeastern states without the worry of major route diversions or cancellations.
The service disruption originally began on Thursday, September 3, 2026, when incessant heavy rainfall triggered sudden land subsidence near the New Farakka station located in West Bengal's Murshidabad district. This unfortunate weather event completely severed critical rail corridors connecting different parts of the state. To compound the crisis, a secondary subsidence event occurred on Friday, September 4, 2026, which further delayed ongoing engineering and repair operations.
Rapid Repair Work by Eastern Railway
Responding swiftly to the infrastructure emergency, Eastern Railway mobilized massive resources to fix the damaged tracks. Approximately 400 workers, six piling rigs, and stone dust packing materials were deployed to execute round-the-clock repair work at the site. On Saturday, September 5, 2026, Eastern Railway General Manager Gitika Pandey personally conducted an on-site inspection of the affected area, emphasizing the organization's unwavering commitment to the uncompromising safety of operations and the swift restoration of vital services.
Safety Clearance and Return of Normal Traffic
Before allowing passenger trains to run again, railway authorities prioritized absolute passenger safety. According to an official statement released by Eastern Railway on September 5, 2026, technical teams engaged in close coordination to meticulously inspect every single aspect of the track's structural integrity and fitness. Following successful trial runs on the repaired tracks, which notably included the safe passage of a goods carriage on the down line, normal train movements were officially authorized to resume on the night of September 5, 2026. The triumphant return of the Vande Bharat Express to this route marks the complete and successful restoration of seamless railway connectivity through the Malda Division.