Confirmed Ticket, Standing Journey: Passenger’s Frustration with Overcrowded Trains

In recent times, a surge in complaints about overcrowding on Indian trains has brought attention to the challenges faced by passengers. One such grievance stands out, where Abhas Kumar Shrivastava, a passenger of the Rourkela Intercity train, shared his unpleasant experience on social media platform X.

Shrivastava detailed the initial struggle he faced in navigating through the overcrowded train, hindering his access to the reserved seat he had booked. Upon finally reaching his designated seat, he was dismayed to find a pregnant woman occupying it. Instead of requesting her to vacate the seat, Shrivastava opted to stand near the train door for the entire two-hour journey.

Expressing his frustration in a post, he sarcastically thanked Indian Railways, IRCTC, and Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for providing him with a confirmed ticket that ultimately left him standing throughout the trip. His post highlighted the irony of reserving a seat well in advance, only to face challenges in reaching it due to overcrowding.

Accompanying his post was a picture depicting a fully packed train coach, where even the corridor was obstructed by passengers, leaving little room for movement. In the comments section, Shrivastava clarified that he had booked a ticket in the second seater or 2S class, a non-AC coach commonly used in daytime Intercity and Janshatabdi trains. Despite his reservation, the coach was inundated with ticketless passengers, creating an environment reminiscent of the General class.

Some commenters speculated that Shrivastava might have mistakenly boarded the wrong coach, given the layout in the shared picture. In response, he offered an explanation, shedding light on the challenges faced by passengers dealing with overcrowded trains and the need for improved management to ensure a smoother travel experience.