Image for representation.
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The railways, often in the news for not keeping time, ensured that a Mumbai family's wedding plans at Guwahati did not derail.
On November 14, Chandrashekhar Wagh, the groom from Mumbai with 34 of his relatives boarded the Gitanjali Express at Mumbai's Kalyan station at 6.55 am to Howrah Junction in West Bengal.
The train was scheduled to reach Howrah is 1.05 pm on November 15, well ahead of the departure of the Saraighat Express to Guwahati at 4.05 pm.
However, Gitanjali Express was running late when it reached Santragachi, 15 km from Howrah. Since the marriage party included senior citizens who wouldn't be able to scramble for seats on alternative trains if they missed their train, Wagh posted on X tagging Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and railway officials explaining his predicament.
Authorities swung into action and detained Saraighat Express at Howrah Junction till the Gitanjali Express' arrival while the loco pilot of the Gitanjali Express was asked to step on it.
Gitanjali Express arrived at Howrah at 4.08 pm, just minutes after the scheduled departure of Saraighat Express. Immediately, the waiting railway staff transferred the marriage party and their baggage from Platform 21 to Saraighat Express on Platform 9.
Saraighat Express train left Howrah at 4.19 pm, a delay of just 14 minutes, and reached Guwahati on Saturday at 10.05 am, ensuring the wedding party reached the destination on time.
Wagh later tweeted, "I would like to express my gratitude towards all those involved." He also thanked the Railway minister and the authorities. Eastern Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Kaushik Mitra said, "We are always ready to serve our passengers."