Mumbai-Nanded Vande Bharat Express Delayed by Six Hours, Passengers Demand Compensation
Mumbai, 20th October 2025: Passengers on the Mumbai-Nanded Vande Bharat Express (Train No. 20706) faced severe inconvenience on Sunday after the train, originally scheduled to depart from CSMT at 1:10 pm, left only at 7:30 pmânearly six hours late.
The delay was communicated to passengers around 10:30 am, leaving many stranded and disrupting their Diwali travel plans. Families with young children were particularly distressed due to the lack of facilities and alternative arrangements at the station. Onboard catering charges had already been paid, but no food or lounge services were provided while passengers waited for hours without clear information.
Passenger Pradeep Patil, who filed a complaint with the CSMT station master, demanded that the railways provide food and lounge facilities, refund the onboard catering charges, and offer compensation equal to three times the ticket price for the mental and physical distress caused. He also called for a written apology from the railways and a guarantee of proper communication and facilities during future delays.
Many passengers reported financial hardship due to poor planning by the railways. Despite arriving at CSMT two hours before departure during a Sunday mega block, passengers had to wait six hours without proper waiting spaces. The free waiting room was overcrowded, while paid lounges charged extra fees, adding to the burden.
The incident has prompted calls for better planning and communication by the railways, especially during peak travel periods like Diwali, to prevent repeated inconvenience to passengers.
