Railways Struggle with Overcrowding Despite Summer Surge and Poll Season Demands
Railways Struggle with Overcrowding Despite Summer Surge and Poll Season Demands
Despite the Indian Railways’ efforts to meet the surge in passenger demand during summer and the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, overcrowding on trains and station platforms remains a pressing issue. Despite the introduction of additional trains and trips, passengers continue to express dissatisfaction with the overcrowded conditions.
The Railways has attributed the overcrowding to the traditional increase in summer travel and the influx of passengers returning to their hometowns to vote. To address this, the authority has introduced 18 summer special trains, primarily serving destinations in the northern region of the country. However, social media platforms are flooded with images and complaints from passengers highlighting the persistent overcrowding issue.
Video Here:
Official data indicates a record-breaking number of additional train trips during the summer season, with a total of 9,111 trips across India. The Central Railways alone is operating around 488 additional trips, with a significant number originating from the Pune division. Despite these efforts, overcrowding remains a challenge, with passenger occupancy exceeding capacity on both regular and additional trains.
The surge in train traffic is further exacerbated by the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, as voters travel back to their constituencies. Political representatives and workers booking tickets in bulk for election-related travel contribute to the congestion. As a result, trains are operating at or near full capacity, with an average of over 1000 passengers per train and additional passengers traveling without tickets.
Efforts to mitigate overcrowding, including the introduction of additional services and the implementation of summer special trains, have not fully addressed the issue. The Indian Railways continues to face challenges in managing passenger demand during peak travel seasons and political events.
