Indian Railways diverts Bagh Express services for infrastructure work

Indian Railways has announced significant operational changes for the popular Bagh Express as part of ongoing infrastructure enhancement projects undertaken by the North Eastern Railway. These temporary modifications are necessitated by patch doubling commissioning and crucial non-interlocking work between Gorakhpur Cantt and Unaula stations within the Varanasi division, alongside infrastructure development on the Gorakhpur Cantt-Paniyahwa section. Passengers planning journeys during early September must note these changes to avoid inconvenience at the stations.

• Train number 13020 Kathgodam-Howrah Bagh Express departing on September 1, 2026 will be diverted via the Barabanki-Ayodhya Cantt-Varanasi Junction-Varanasi City-Mau-Bhatni route.
• Train number 13019 Howrah-Kathgodam Bagh Express departing on September 2, 2026 will also operate on a diverted route.
• Overall operational adjustments will affect train movements between August 30 and September 4, 2026.
• A statutory inspection by the Commissioner of Railway Safety is scheduled for September 3, 2026.

Impacted Stations and Diverted Route

Due to the aforementioned route rationalization, train number 13020 will skip several scheduled stops including Jarwal Road, Gonda, Mankapur, Babhnan, Basti, Khalilabad, Gorakhpur, Chauri Chaura, and Deoria Sadar stations. Similarly, the return service, train number 13019, will experience suspended halts at multiple stations along its regular path. Railway authorities have strongly advised passengers to verify the updated route, schedule, and timing of their trains before proceeding to the stations. These temporary operational adjustments are aimed at strengthening the overall railway network capacity, boosting safety, and improving long-term operational efficiency across busy North Eastern Railway sections.