Air India Plane Crash: Railways to Run Special Trains from Ahmedabad to New Delhi, Mumbai to Clear Passenger Rush

Indian Railways has announced that two special trains will be run from Ahmedabad to New Delhi and Mumbai to transport the passengers stranded at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, following the tragic Air India crash on Thursday. The announcement came shortly after the Ministry of Civil Aviation closed the Ahmedabad airport and suspended all flights.

Special Train Timings

Indian Railways will run two special AC trains-

– Ahmedabad to Delhi (Train no. 09497/09498, Ahmedabad Junction to Delhi Junction), Via Palanpur, Abu Road, Marwar, Ajmer, Gurgaon, and Delhi Cantt will depart at 11:30 PM tonight,

– Ahmedabad to Mumbai (Train no. 09494/09493, Ahmedabad Junction to Mumbai Central Railway Station), Via Vadodara, Surat and Borivali departing at 12:00 midnight.

In a circular, Western Railway said the special air-conditioned trains will help clear the extra rush of passengers at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The special trains are part of Indian Railways' Train On Demand initiative, which includes running special trains during peak periods to meet passenger demands.

Air India Ahmedabad Flight Crash

The tragic crash took place minutes after AI117 took off at 1:39 PM today. The flight was bound for London Gatwick Airport when the critical incident occurred. According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the plane was unable to gain altitude and lost thrust, crashing into Ghoda Camp, a residential area, resulting in a significant number of casualties.

All 242 people onboard: 230 passengers and 12 crew, including 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian national, are confirmed dead.

Ground witnesses described plumes of thick smoke rising from the crash site. The plane had struck a college hostel, and emergency responders rapidly reached the scene. Ahmedabad Police confirmed that recovery and rescue operations are still ongoing.

Authorities are yet to confirm the death toll, but many speculate that there were no survivors. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched an investigation into the cause of the crash and a team from Boeing is also expected to assist.

Also Read: Video Shows Air India Plane Bursting Into Flames After Crashing Near Residential Area In Ahmedabad