Ghaziabad goods train derailment hits 53 services; city names Delhi link Ram Setu
A goods train derailment in the Sahibabad area blocked the Ghaziabad-New Delhi railway section before dawn on Tuesday, forcing Northern Railway to divert or cancel 53 trains across the Delhi region. Separately, the Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation has formally renamed its 11-kilometre elevated road to Delhi as Ram Setu and is constructing an entrance gate featuring Lord Ram's bow and arrow at the Delhi entry point.
Train derailment disrupts Delhi rail corridor
Six loaded wagons of a goods train derailed at around 1:55 AM on a Tuesday in the Sahibabad area of Ghaziabad, blocking the Ghaziabad-New Delhi railway section. The incident struck one of the busiest freight and passenger corridors in the National Capital Region, immediately triggering emergency procedures from Northern Railway. Railway authorities were compelled to divert, cancel, and regulate as many as 53 trains across the Delhi region as a direct consequence of the blocked line, causing widespread disruption to both commuter and freight services. The Ghaziabad-New Delhi corridor carries heavy daily traffic, connecting the densely populated satellite city to central Delhi and onward destinations. Disruptions on this route ripple across the regional network, affecting large numbers of travellers who depend on rail connectivity between Ghaziabad and the capital. Northern Railway mobilised repair crews to assess the extent of damage and begin restoration work, including re-railing the derailed wagons and clearing the affected section. The morning hours saw passengers on dozens of trains facing delays, rerouting, or outright cancellations as engineers worked to restore normal operations. The derailment highlighted the operational risks on high-traffic freight corridors and the significant downstream effects a single accident can trigger across a dense rail network spanning the wider Delhi region. [4]
🪔 Elevated road renamed Ram Setu with ceremonial gateway
The Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation has formally renamed its 11-kilometre elevated road connecting the city to Delhi as Ram Setu, giving the corridor a distinct religious and cultural identity. A grand entrance gate featuring Lord Ram's bow and arrow is being constructed at the Delhi end of the road to mark the renaming and serve as a prominent new landmark for people arriving in Ghaziabad from the capital. Mayor Sunita Dayal stated that the project aims to enhance the city's aesthetics while also giving Ghaziabad a recognised cultural and religious character. The Ram Setu Gate is being built at an estimated cost of approximately one crore rupees. Civic authorities are also carrying out beautification work around the structure, including decorative lighting designed to make the gateway striking during both day and night hours. City officials anticipate that once completed the gate will be one of Ghaziabad's major attractions and function as a grand welcome point for visitors arriving from Delhi. The elevated road itself was built at a cost of around 1,147 crore rupees and was inaugurated by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on March 30, 2018, after which it significantly reduced travel time between Ghaziabad and the capital. The municipal corporation's executive committee approved the renaming proposal in February 2024, following which work began on giving the corridor its new identity. [9]
Sources: [4] ETV Bharat · [9] Deccan Herald