A Mumbai man managed to reach Guwahati on time to marry his lover on Sunday, thanks to the help from railways that detained a connecting train in Howrah station and shifted the wedding guests to another train on battery-operated vehicles.
The groom and his relatives were getting anxious since Gitanjali Express from Mumbai, on which they were travelling, was getting late to reach Howrah. They were afraid of missing the Saraighat Express which would take them to Guwahati from there.
A member of the ‘baraat’ posted a message on the X handle of the railways, requesting help and that set the ball rolling and finally, the bride and the groom married without any more hassle.
@RailMinIndia @AshwiniVaishnaw @nerailwaygkp @EasternRailway Need urgent help, we are group of 35 people, travelling via Gitanjali express for my marriage which is delayed by 3.5 hrs, Need to catch Sarighat express at 4:00 pm which seems difficult. Kindly help. My no. 9029597736 pic.twitter.com/a3ULEXHJfs
— Chandu (@chanduwagh21) November 15, 2024
Gitanjali Express was scheduled to arrive at Howrah at 1.05 pm on Friday, but it got delayed. Saraighat Express was scheduled to depart for Assam at 4:05 pm from Howrah station.
Following the post of Chandrashekhar D Wagh on X, the Howrah Divisional Railway Manager received an urgent message from higher authorities to do the needful, a senior official of the Eastern Railways told PTI.
The officials decided to delay the departure of Saraighat Express and ensured swift arrival of Gitanjali Express to Howrah.
As Gitanjali Express arrived at Howrah at 4.08 pm, railway authorities ensured swift movement of the ‘baraat’ members on battery-operated vehicles from platform number 24 in the new complex to platform number 9 in the old complex where the Saraighat Express was waiting for them, he said.
The groom and his relatives heaved a sigh of relief after boarding the train which chugged off to Guwahati after a delay of a few minutes.
“We got the help and support of all the passengers of the two trains and the Railway Minister, Chief Commercial Manager, DRM and other senior railway officials took every step to ensure the young groom did not miss his marriage,” the ER official said.
“It is our moral responsibility to deliver services like these,” he added.
The ER, in a post on X, said, “IR arranged to detain Saraighat Express at Howrah for a few minutes so that a marriage party with ‘dulha‘ coming by Gitanjali Express and going to Guwahati can catch the train. The marriage party has expressed their thanks to Railways for this helping gesture.” Wagh is in Guwahati for his marriage, which took place on Sunday, in both Marathi and Assamese rituals.
“My son did his PhD from IIT Guwahati. At that time, he fell in love with an Assamese girl. We came all the way from Mumbai to welcome the beautiful bride into our family,” the groom’s mother Mangal Wagh told PTI from the wedding venue.
She said the entire family is grateful to Indian Railways, otherwise, they would not have reached on time for the ceremony.
“We have many aged people in the group who could not walk fast. The Howrah station officials really helped us,” Wagh said.
She, however, said the groom with the newly-wed lady and other members of the family to leave Guwahati by flight on Tuesday as everyone would be tired after the ceremonies.
“Since morning, my son’s marriage took place in Marathi customs. Now, it will be conducted through Assamese rituals throughout the night. We are very happy with the arrangements here,” the mother said.
The 30-year-old groom Wagh, who got his PhD degree in Civil Engineering during this year’s convocation from IIT Guwahati, is an Assistant Professor at Civil and Environmental Engineering Department of Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute in Mumbai.