{
  "id": 3700647,
  "title": "Nashik: Onion Express Delayed By 42 Hours Amid Quality Protest, Leaves With 340-Tonne Shortfall",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/nashik-onion-express-delayed-by-42-hours-amid-quality-protest-leaves",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-27T07:45:38.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Press Journal",
    "slug": "free-press-journal",
    "url": "https://www.freepressjournal.in/pune/nashik-onion-express-delayed-by-42-hours-amid-quality-protest-leaves-with-340-tonne-shortfall"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Nashik witnessed a significant delay for a special train, dubbed the 'Onion Express', en route to Delhi on Wednesday. The train, part of the Central Government's Price Stabilisation Fund, aimed to deliver onions to the Indian capital and mitigate surging retail prices. Designed to carry 840 metric tonnes of onions, the train ultimately loaded just 500 metric tonnes, resulting in a 340-tonne shortfall. This delayed departure, caused by grading, packing, and loading delays at the Lasalgaon railway station, extended the train's stay by nearly 42 hours, reaching Lasalgaon around 11:50 p.m. on Monday. The train was originally set to commence its journey to Delhi at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, but now faces a 22-24 hour journey to its destination. Despite the delay, the train's arrival in Lasalgaon was met with protests over the quality of the onions. Protests erupted as Ganesh Nimbalkar, a leader from the Prahar Janshakti Party, accused the authorities of transporting rotten and inferior onions under the guise of the 'Onion Express'. This led to a standoff between protesters and railway officials, eventually forcing the train to wait for a quality inspection before departing for Delhi at 3:10 p.m. The reduced quantity and prolonged delay have raised questions about the planning and coordination of the NCCF and the Central Warehousing Corporation, as well as the potential for increased transportation costs per tonne.",
  "summary": "Nashik: A special ‘Onion Express’ carrying onions from Lasalgaon to Adarsh Nagar in Delhi finally departed on Wednesday at 3:10 p.m., after being delayed by nearly 42 hours. The train was being operated under the Central Government’s Price Stabilisation Fund initiative to supply onions to Delhi and help control rising retail prices. The train was originally scheduled to carry 840 metric tonnes of…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}