Misconception about Indian Railways goods train: While it's been speculated that the entire train was delayed by over three years, the truth is it was merely a solitary wagon that faced such delay.

A fertiliser wagon on Indian Railways, carrying Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) fertilisers, made headlines in 2018 for an unusual reason - it took more than three years to reach its destination. However, recent clarifications by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) have set the record straight, debunking claims of the entire train being delayed.

The wagon in question, numbered 107462, was loaded with 1,316 bags of fertilisers by Indian Potash Limited on behalf of M/S Ramachandra Gupta of Basti, Uttar Pradesh, in 2014. The businessman responsible for the booking of the delayed wagon was Ramachandra Gupta.

The wagon was not part of the initial train that left Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. Due to its unfit condition, the wagon was detached from the train and sent to a yard for repairs. The delay in the arrival of wagon 107462 was reported in several news reports, causing a stir.

Contrary to some misleading stories, no goods train on Indian Railways has ever taken this long to reach its destination, as confirmed by the PIB. The incident occurred before 10 December 2024, and the wagon reached Basti railway station in July 2018.

The North Eastern Railways Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Sanjay Yadav stated that the wagon was detached from the train. The delay affected only one wagon of a train carrying fertilisers, not the entire train.

The clarification was based on a special report by The Economic Times published in July 2018. The PIB further emphasised that the claim of a goods train being delayed by more than three years is misleading.

In summary, while a fertiliser wagon did experience a significant delay, it is essential to correct the misconception that the entire train was delayed. The wagon reached its destination in July 2018, ending its unusually long journey.