Trains to the Rescue: Indian Railways Boosts Capacity as IndiGo Cancellations Continue (Image: File)
As IndiGo’s cancellations continue for a fourth day and disrupt thousands of travellers, Indian Railways has stepped in as an essential alternative. It has expanded capacity by adding 116 coaches to 37 trains, resulting in 114 additional trips across the country to accommodate stranded passengers.
The Ministry of Railways has asked multiple zones to boost train capacity with more coaches, especially on premium and heavily used routes between major cities. The extra coaches include a mix of AC and Sleeper options to suit different travellers.
Railway officials confirmed the measures are a direct response to the sudden spike in demand caused by flight cancellations. Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay, Chief Public Relations Officer of Northern Railway, stated that coaches have been added to premium trains like the Jammu and Dibrugarh Rajdhanis, as well as the Chandigarh and Amritsar Shatabdis.
Officials said they are closely tracking the situation and are ready to run special all-AC trains on key inter-city routes if required, ensuring travellers have a dependable backup option.
The trigger for this railway intervention is the ongoing severe disruption in IndiGo's operations, which continued for a fourth consecutive day on Friday with over 1,000 flights cancelled. The airline, which controls about two-thirds of India's domestic air traffic, has stated that operations may take up to 10 days to normalise.
The crisis stems from the airline’s poor planning for the new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) rules, which require longer rest hours for crew. The DGCA has given the airline temporary relaxations and has also launched an inquiry into the disruptions affecting travellers across the country.
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A: Southern Railway has made the most additions, upgrading 18 trains. Northern Railway has also increased capacity on 8 major premium trains.
A: The additions include AC Chair Cars for daytime travel, along with 3AC, 2AC, and Sleeper coaches for overnight journeys, catering to different budgets and passenger needs.
A: They are extra carriages that are added to already-running, scheduled trains (such as Rajdhanis and Shatabdis), hence expanding the number of seats available on those particular routes.
A: As the situation is monitored, particular excursions are planned for the upcoming days (e.g., December 6–13). The augmentations are being implemented starting on December 6.
A: If a flight is cancelled, travelers should check with Indian Railways to see if there are any extra trains available. If the crisis continues, railway officials advise keeping an eye on official sources for announcements about special trains.
