Indian Railways records highest-ever passenger numbers in April
What's the story
The Indian Railways (IR) has reported a record-breaking 411 million passengers traveling by train across the country within the first three weeks of April, a report in the Hindustan Times said.
This surge, the highest ever recorded for this period, is attributed to summer vacations, wedding season, and ongoing elections.
The sudden increase in passenger numbers has strained IR resources, leading to overcrowded coaches as seen on social media platforms.
Record trips
Western Railways reported the highest number of trips
The Western Railways reported the highest number of trips (1,878), followed by North Western Railways (1,623), South Central (1,012), and East Central (1,003 trips).
To provide context, passenger trains carried approximately 370 million passengers during the same period last year and 350 million in 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic affected passenger numbers.
A Railway Board official stated that "Indian Railways carried 411.6 million passengers between April 1 and 21."
Travel Rush
33.8 million passengers ferried in just last two days
The official further revealed that "out of the 411.6 million passengers, 33.8 million were ferried in just the last two days—April 20 and 21—when this rush has picked up pace."
This sudden surge led to overcrowded railway stations across India, particularly those serving routes that typically see a seasonal rush such as Delhi, Patna, Kolkata, Darbhanga among others.
The situation left thousands of travelers stranded with social media posts showing trains filled beyond capacity.
Passenger plight
Unreserved passengers lock reserved coach to prevent others from entering
Passengers have taken to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to share their experiences of the overcrowded trains.
One video posted on April 13 shows unreserved passengers of Kaifiyaat Superfast Express entering a reserved coach and locking the door to prevent reserved passengers from taking their seats.
Another video depicts unreserved passengers seated near the lavatory area of an AC coach, highlighting the extent of overcrowding.
Countermeasures
Indian Railways has increased train trips by 43%
In response to the surge in demand, Indian Railways has increased train trips by 43% and deployed a record number of additional trains.
"To ensure the convenience of passengers and manage the anticipated surge in travel demand during summers, Indian Railways is operating a record-breaking 9,111 trips during summer season," IR stated.
This marks a significant rise from the summer of 2023 when only 6,369 trips were offered.
Mitigation steps
What measures has the IR taken to address these challenges?
The IR has launched daily special trains based on passenger demand at stations and instructed Traveling Ticket Examiners to ensure that no unreserved passenger enters reserved coaches.
Other measures include ensuring availability of drinking water at stations, deploying senior officers and Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel to regulate crowds, and setting up additional help desks and counters for passenger inquiries.
RPF staff have also been deployed in CCTV control rooms to monitor crowded areas and provide real-time assistance.