I took a short ride b/w LKO and Unnao on this train. And it took 30+ minutes for us to negotiate b/w Lucknow and Manak Nagar only. Even after that, the train ran at a snail's pace with multiple TSRs and didn't took speed until half the distance was over. We had covered 25 km in over an hour. It took us ~1.5 + hrs to reach Unnao Jn. Lucknow and Kanpur is being connected by an expressway, meanwhile trains are crawling in that section. To say there is an mps of this section is a misnomer because the maximum speed won't be achieved for half the duration.

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were some stations being renovated en route[which is a good thing]. I returned via CNB-LKO MEMU which was overtaken by PNVL-GKP Express once[ at Ajgain, I think] and then again at Amausi. Large parts of this was due to freight prioritization, increased stoppage at wayside stations[our train stopped for 10 mins for no reason at one station and 10 mins is the difference that decides whether your train will be overtaken later or not].

I don't see anyway how Vande Metro will come on these tracks. The tracks are absolutely borderline pathetic in this section. They were probably in better shape when they were first built.It's much better to shell out money for bus services b/w CNB-LJN than take a train. Check the JHS-LKO passenger. It takes 4 hrs to complete this section sometimes. Even the daily EMUs take 3 hrs regularly. From 1.5 hrs to 3 hrs, IR has made a disgrace out of this section.

I contrasted this section with LKO-RBL one where our LKO-BSBS ICE took 30 mins to route out of LKO-UTR section because why not but after that, it near constantly did 100+ with only one unscheduled stop and reached RBL 5 mins before covering ~77 km in 1 hr 15 mins. Meanwhile, even the fastest trains like VB/Shatabdi take this amount of time to cover LJN-CNB stretch which is technically 5 kms smaller.

1- Welcome to Unnao Junction: The Only City Where COVID Never Ends (At Least according to the Indian Railways' display boards.)

Indian Railways installed these digital display boards long before the COVID era. However, when the pandemic hit and all train operations came to a halt, Indian Railways slowly began reintroducing some important and highly preferred trains as 'COVID-19 Specials.' At that time, the information for these reintroduced trains was stored on the display boards at Unnao Junction.
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forward to the post-pandemic world: while COVID has become a thing of the past and trains across the country have reverted to their original numbers and identities, Unnao Junction still clings to outdated information. The issue here is pure laziness. When all other trains resumed their regular operations, the staff at Unnao Junction added the newly restarted trains to the display boards but never updated the names of the existing ones that were reintroduced during the pandemic. As a result, while some trains have their original names displayed, others are still labeled as 'COVID 19 Special.'

It's almost as if Indian Railways installed these systems and then forgot all about them. While other stations have kept their information up-to-date, Unnao Junction seems stuck in time. The display boards reflect old, irrelevant data. This isn't just a minor oversight; it's a frustrating reminder of the lack of attention to detail and poor management when it comes to public services.

2- The Public Announcement System: A Miscommunication Masterpiece.

And then there’s the public announcement system. If you think the display boards are bad, the announcements are even worse.
Let me give you an example:
The Lucknow - Mumbai Pushpak Superfast Express is announced like this:
"May I have your attention, please. Train no. 12533, Lucknow-Mumbai CSMT Superfast Express is arriving on platform 2."
That's it. No mention of the train’s route, its timing, or even its actual name.
The Kaifiyat Express is no better:
"May I have your attention, please. Train no. 12225, Azamgarh-Delhi Superfast Express is arriving on platform 2."
Again, no name (Kaifiyat Express), no route (via Kanpur, Etawah, Aligarh), and no timings. These announcements are as though Indian Railways assumes everyone is telepathic and knows the full details by heart.
These two are just 2 examples of Un-standardized Public Announcement System of Indian Railways.

3- The Coach Positioning Display Boards: Just for Show

But perhaps the worst part of the station’s so-called modernization is the Coach Positioning Display Boards. They’ve essentially become electronic showpieces that serve no real purpose. Most of the time, all they display is "NR," "उ रे," or "ON," followed by "PF 2" or "PF 3."
That’s it. There’s no information on train numbers, coach positions, or anything that would actually help a passenger locate their coach. Just the Northern Railways Abbreviations in English and Hindi, Station Code of Unnao and Platform Number.
On the rare occasion that the train number is displayed, that’s all you get. No coach numbers, no further details. It’s almost laughable—if it weren’t so frustrating.

4- The Bigger Picture: Mismanagement at Its Worst.

This isn’t just a rant about malfunctioning display boards or incomplete announcements. It’s about a much bigger problem—mismanagement and a lack of accountability. Indian Railways invested in these systems, but after the initial installation, they simply forgot about them. Meanwhile, stations in other cities have managed to keep their information up-to-date, providing passengers with accurate and timely details.

At Unnao Junction, however, the situation remains stagnant. Passengers are left to deal with outdated information, malfunctioning systems, and a general lack of communication from the railways.
Lucknow Charbagh NR Division isn't focusing on basic public amenities. They just want to extend their operational limits to large cities like Varanasi, Prayagraj etc.

5- Final Thoughts: Support the Call for Change

I’ve already tweeted about the 'COVID Special' issue and the overall lack of updates at Unnao Junction. If you’ve experienced similar frustrations or simply believe that public services should be better managed, please support the tweet and join the call for change.

Tweet link: click here

Unnao Junction may be stuck in the COVID era on its display boards, but with enough public pressure, maybe we can finally bring it into the present.