Dibrugarh–New Delhi Rajdhani Express

Dibrugarh–New Delhi Rajdhani Express is a Rajdhani class train of Indian Railways that connects New Delhi Railway Station in Delhi to the Dibrugarh Railway Station in Assam.

History

 * The first version of this train was inaugurated on 26 October 1996 as Guwahati Rajdhani Express which ran via Barauni. It was flagged off by Ram Vilas Paswan (former Minister of Railways) which runs as a weekly service. The frequency was later increased to tri-weekly in 1997.
 * Later, on 11 January 1999, the Second set of Guwahati Rajdhani Express was inaugurated which runs through Chhapra. It was flagged off by Nitish Kumar (former Minister of Railways) which runs as a bi-weekly service.
 * After that, on 24 March 2010, the third set of Guwahati Rajdhani Express was inaugurated which runs through Muzaffarpur. It was flagged off by Mamata Banerjee (former Minister of Railways) which runs as a weekly service.
 * Later due to public demand in 2012, The three sets of Rajdhani was extended up to Dibrugarh and runs as Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express and also the frequency of First Set was increased to daily service.
 * February 2021: 20503/04 Dibrugarh Rajdhani frequency increased to 5 days a week from Weekly.

Route & halts

 * 1st set of Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express with numbered 12423/12424 goes via New Tinsukia, Mariani, Dimapur, Lumding, Guwahati, New Bongaigaon, New Cooch Behar, New Jalpaiguri, Kishanganj, Katihar, Barauni, Patna Junction, Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction, Prayagraj Junction,  Kanpur Central to New Delhi.


 * 2nd set of Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express with numbered 20503/20504 goes via Mariani, Dimapur, Lumding, Guwahati, New Bongaigaon, New Jalpaiguri, New Cooch Behar, Kishanganj, Katihar, Samastipur, Muzaffarpur Junction, Hajipur Junction, Chhapra Junction, Ballia, Varanasi, Lucknow Charbagh, Bareilly, Moradabad to New Delhi.


 * 3rd set of Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express with numbered 20505/20506 goes via Dhemaji, North Lakhimpur, Viswanath Charali, Rangapara North Junction, New Missamari, Rangiya, New Bongaigaon, New Alipurduar, New Jalpaiguri Junction, New Cooch Behar,Kishanganj, Katihar, Begusarai, Barauni Junction, Hajipur Junction, Chhapra Junction, Ballia, Varanasi, Lucknow Charbagh. Bareilly,. Moradabad to New Delhi.

Traction
All set of Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express (except for the third set of Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express numbered 20505/20506) are hauled by a Diesel Loco Shed, Siliguri-based WDP-4 / WDP-4B / WDP-4D diesel locomotive from Dibrugarh to Guwahati, after Guwahati it is hauled by an Electric Loco Shed, Ghaziabad-based WAP-7 electric locomotive until New Delhi and vice versa. In case of 20505/20506, the WAP-7 hauls the train from New Delhi to Rangiya and vice versa and the Diesel Loco Shed, Siliguri-based WDP-4 / WDP-4B / WDP-4D diesel locomotive takes over for its journey from Rangiya to Dibrugarh and vice versa.

Derailment
On 25 June 2014, this train derailed in Chhapra, Bihar, killing four people and seriously injuring eight. Sabotage by Naxalites was considered but ruled out as the cause of the crash. Also, on 6 December 2016 derailed in Allipurduar district of west Bengal.