Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express

Route map
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Dibrugarh–New Delhi Rajdhani Express
	Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express entering Katihar Junction.
Overview
Service type	Rajdhani Express
Locale	Assam, Nagaland, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh & Delhi
Current operator(s)	Northern Railway & ; Northeast Frontier Railway
Route
Termini	Dibrugarh (DBRG); New Delhi (NDLS)
Stops	21 as 12423 / 12424, ; 24 as 20503 / 20504, ; 24 as 20505 / 20506
Distance travelled	2,276 kilometres (1,414 mi) (via Barauni Junction) ; 2,452 kilometres (1,524 mi) (via Moranhat) ; 2,458 kilometres (1,527 mi) (via Rangapara North Junction)
Average journey time	37 hrs (Approx.)
Service frequency	Daily
Train number(s)	12423 / 12424 ; 20503 / 20504 ; 20505 / 20506
On-board services
Class(es)	AC First Class, AC 2 Tier, AC 3 Tier
Seating arrangements	Yes
Sleeping arrangements	Yes
Catering facilities	Available
Observation facilities	Large windows
Baggage facilities	Available
Other facilities	Below the seats
Technical
Rolling stock	LHB coach
Track gauge	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Operating speed	56 km/h (35 mph) average including halts.
Route map
Route map
	;

Dibrugarh–New Delhi Rajdhani Express is a Rajdhani class train of Indian Railways that connects New Delhi Railway Station in Delhi to the Dibrugarh Railway Station in Assam.

History

The first version of this train was inaugurated on 26 October 1996 as Guwahati Rajdhani Express which ran via Barauni. It was flagged off by Ram Vilas Paswan (former Minister of Railways) which runs as a weekly service.^[1] The frequency was later increased to tri-weekly in 1997.^[2]
Later, on 11 January 1999, the Second set of Guwahati Rajdhani Express was inaugurated which runs through Chhapra. It was flagged off by Nitish Kumar (former Minister of Railways) which runs as a bi-weekly service.
After that, on 24 March 2010, the third set of Guwahati Rajdhani Express was inaugurated which runs through Muzaffarpur. It was flagged off by Mamata Banerjee (former Minister of Railways) which runs as a weekly service.^[3]
Later due to public demand in 2012, The three sets of Rajdhani was extended up to Dibrugarh and runs as Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express and also the frequency of First Set was increased to daily service.^[4]^[5]
February 2021: 20503/04 Dibrugarh Rajdhani frequency increased to 5 days a week from Weekly.^[6]

Route & halts

1st set of Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express with numbered 12423/12424 goes via New Tinsukia, Mariani, Dimapur, Lumding, Guwahati, New Bongaigaon, New Cooch Behar, New Jalpaiguri, Kishanganj, Katihar, Barauni, Patliputra Junction, Danapur Junction, Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction, Prayagraj Junction, Kanpur Central to New Delhi.

2nd set of Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express with numbered 20503/20504 goes via Mariani, Dimapur, Lumding, Guwahati, New Bongaigaon, New Jalpaiguri, New Cooch Behar, Kishanganj, Katihar, Samastipur, Muzaffarpur Junction, Hajipur Junction, Chhapra Junction, Ballia, Varanasi, Lucknow Charbagh, Bareilly, Moradabad to New Delhi.

3rd set of Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express with numbered 20505/20506 goes via Dhemaji, North Lakhimpur, Viswanath Charali, Rangapara North Junction, New Missamari, Rangiya, New Bongaigaon, New Alipurduar, New Jalpaiguri Junction, New Cooch Behar,Kishanganj, Katihar, Begusarai, Barauni Junction, Hajipur Junction, Chhapra Junction, Ballia, Varanasi, Lucknow Charbagh. Bareilly,. Moradabad to New Delhi.

Traction

All set of Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express (except for the third set of Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express numbered 20505/20506) are hauled by a Diesel Loco Shed, Siliguri-based WDP-4 / WDP-4B / WDP-4D diesel locomotive from Dibrugarh to Guwahati, after Guwahati it is hauled by an Electric Loco Shed, Ghaziabad-based WAP-7 electric locomotive until New Delhi and vice versa. In case of 20505/20506, the WAP-7 hauls the train from New Delhi to Rangiya and vice versa and the Diesel Loco Shed, Siliguri-based WDP-4 / WDP-4B / WDP-4D diesel locomotive takes over for its journey from Rangiya to Dibrugarh and vice versa.

Derailment

On 25 June 2014, this train derailed in Chhapra, Bihar, killing four people and seriously injuring eight.^[7] Sabotage by Naxalites was considered but ruled out as the cause of the crash.^[8] Also, on 6 December 2016 derailed in Allipurduar district of west Bengal.

Gallery

12423 Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express in New Delhi.
02423 Dibrugarh Rajdhani COVID-19 Special with SGUJ WDP4 arriving Katihar
02423 Dibrugarh Rajdhani COVID-19 Special with GZB WAP7 arriving Katihar
02423 Dibrugarh Rajdhani (COVID-19 AC Special) leaving Katihar

References

^ Rail Budget 1994-95, Retrieved 25 May 2016
^ Rail Budget 1995-96, Retrieved 25 May 2016
^ Rail Budget 2009-10, Retrieved 25 May 2016
^ Rail Budget 2010-11, Retrieved 25 May 2019
^ Rail Budget 2005-06, Retrieved 25 May 2016
^ Twitter https://twitter.com/railnf/status/1356828678798237698. Retrieved 3 September 2021. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
^ Das, Mala (25 June 2014). "New Delhi–Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express Derails in Bihar, Four Killed". NDTV. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
^ "Delhi–Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express derailment: Bihar CM rules out Maoist role". India Today. 25 June 2014. Retrieved 5 August 2015.

[1] Rail Budget 1994-95, Retrieved 25 May 2016

[2] Rail Budget 1995-96, Retrieved 25 May 2016

[3] Rail Budget 2009-10, Retrieved 25 May 2016

[4] Rail Budget 2010-11, Retrieved 25 May 2019

[5] Rail Budget 2005-06, Retrieved 25 May 2016

[6] Twitter https://twitter.com/railnf/status/1356828678798237698. Retrieved 3 September 2021. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

[7] Das, Mala (25 June 2014). "New Delhi–Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express Derails in Bihar, Four Killed". NDTV. Retrieved 5 August 2015.

[8] "Delhi–Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express derailment: Bihar CM rules out Maoist role". India Today. 25 June 2014. Retrieved 5 August 2015.

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