As the much-anticipated Navaratri festival draws near, thousands of rail passengers are grappling with a severe shortage of train seats, leaving their travel plans in disarray. With no official announcements regarding special festival trains and regular services already fully booked, many travelers find themselves with no choice but to seek alternative, often more expensive, options.
Railway inquiry counters and online reservation platforms are consistently displaying “waiting list” or “reservation closed” for numerous routes connecting Kozhikode with major cities and other states. This week, the lack of clarity on additional services has only intensified the predicament for hopeful commuters.
“Despite the evident surge in demand, railway authorities appear unresponsive to the plight of passengers and are seemingly reluctant to explore the introduction of special trains for the Malabar region. Commuters are left in a state of constant uncertainty due to the casual attitude towards their concerns,” expressed P.N. Biju, a prominent member of the Confederation of Rail Passengers’ Association. He highlighted that previous assurances to consider special services during peak festival periods have been repeatedly overlooked.
In response, railway officials point to operational challenges such as the limited availability of train sets (rakes), difficulties in crew deployment, and existing track capacity constraints, which they claim hinder the immediate announcement of special services. They emphasized that decisions regarding additional trains require high-level discussions and approvals from the ministry. A definitive decision on festival special trains, they added, is still pending despite the growing passenger pressure.
“Without any guarantee of train availability, a significant number of passengers are now resorting to private bus operators for inter-state travel. Unfortunately, many agencies are seizing this opportunity to charge exorbitant ‘special tariffs,’ preying on the helplessness of desperate travelers,” shared Rinisha Sajith, an IT professional from Kannur based in Bengaluru. She recounted how several of her friends, unable to secure train tickets in advance, are now solely dependent on private agencies for confirmed bus seats, often at inflated prices.
Members of the Rail Passengers’ Association confirm that popular routes like the Yeshwanthpur–Kannur and Kannur–Yeshwanthpur Express trains, critical links between Kannur and Bengaluru during festivals, have no reservation seats remaining. Similarly, trains connecting Kozhikode with Chennai, including the Chennai Mail, Egmore Express, and West Coast Express, are completely sold out.
While a few services might show minimal seat availability, it is woefully insufficient to cater to the overwhelming demand. Association members noted that Tatkal booking, a last-ditch effort, remains the only slim hope for many, yet it is often impractical and unreliable, exacerbating the overall travel crisis.