Shatabdi to take an hour more to reach Delhi from Bhopal

During winters, train normally runs late for hours due to fog that envelops Agra-Delhi track even sometimes get cancelled

After getting extension to Habibganj from today, New Delhi-Bhopal Shatabdi Express will now take another hour to cover the 705 km stretch. It would now reach New Delhi at 2330 hours, instead of 2230 hours.

During winters the train normally runs late for hours due to fog that envelops Agra-Delhi track even sometimes get cancelled.

State assembly in a non-government resolution had demanded its destination to be extended to Habibganj, India's first ISO station. After making marathon rounds of meeting, railway authorities had no option but to give way to political demand.

One of the fastest trains, which attains 160 km per hour on certain stretches between New Delhi and Bhopal is facing oft-repeated political demands. When it was launched in 1988, it was allotted only four halt; Agra, Gwalior, Jhansi and Bhopal.

Following demands from local leaders including MLAs and MPs, the train has been added four new stoppage; Dhaulpur, Morena, Mathura and Lalitpur.

"If all these four stoppages are deleted from its halt list, it would save another hour and services will be delivered in a better way on-board," a well-placed source in the railways said adding, "the Railway Board is considering only five stoppages for the train; Mathura, Agra, Gwalior, Jhansi and Bhopal."

In a gala function today organized at Habibganj local leaders including ex-chief minister Babulal Gaur today flagged off the train from Habibganj station.