India, known for its vast diversity, is often depicted through contrasting images. While the country boasts shiny, efficient Vande Bharat trains, it also faces overcrowded express and mail trains, particularly during the holiday season when millions of additional passengers flood the system. These scenes are not new, and they reflect broader systemic issues that go beyond just the railways.
During India’s peak festive season in October and November, images of overcrowded trains are a common sight. The rush, especially towards Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh, is due to the migration of workers celebrating festivals like Diwali and Chhath. This is compounded by the sowing season, when many migrant laborers head to large farms in Punjab, Haryana, and Western Uttar Pradesh.
In contrast, China’s annual Spring Festival, which marks the world’s largest migration, provides an example of how a country has improved its railway network to handle huge volumes of travel. According to Xinhua, travel increased by 27% in 2024, with 195 million trips taken, and rail traffic doubled to 8.2 million trips. The efficiency of China’s transportation system during the Lunar New Year contrasts sharply with the chaos in India during its festive season.
India, despite its efforts, continues to face overcrowding in trains. Between October 1 and November 3, the Indian Railways ran 4,521 special trains, carrying around 65 lakh passengers, mostly to and from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. However, the addition of trains hasn’t been enough to address the growing demand, and overcrowding remains a perennial issue. The system struggles with saturated tracks, particularly in heavily populated states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. The Delhi-Howrah line, for instance, still remains a double line, causing massive bottlenecks at key junctions. The introduction of two Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs) aims to ease this by taking freight off these tracks, but the improvements are still in progress.
China, which used to face similar overcrowding problems, has transformed its transportation system in just two decades. It built the world’s largest high-speed rail network, which now spans over 46,000 kilometers. The high-speed rail system, which began in 2003, has reduced travel times and significantly alleviated congestion during peak travel periods like the Lunar New Year.
Meanwhile, India’s reliance on trains for long-distance travel continues. However, unlike China, the bulk of travel in India still occurs via rail during festivals, with limited options for other modes of transport, especially for migrant workers. Though India’s road network has expanded rapidly, the high cost of air travel makes it impractical for many workers, particularly during festive seasons. High airfares often rival the cost of international flights, and dynamic pricing on trains exacerbates the situation, making tickets prohibitively expensive for many.
India’s rail system, despite its efforts to add more trains, is still struggling to meet demand. Special unreserved trains, such as Jan Sewa, Antodyay, and Jansadharan, are often inserted into already full schedules, leading to delays and overcrowding. This chronic issue has resulted in videos of people traveling in overcrowded trains, even in the toilets, as the fight for space intensifies.
The difference in per capita vehicle ownership and economic conditions between China and India also plays a role. China’s GDP is nearly 2.5 times higher than India’s, allowing a higher number of people to afford personal vehicles, which eases the strain on public transport systems during busy periods. In contrast, India’s lower GDP and limited vehicle ownership contribute to the high dependency on the railway system.
China’s growth in road travel during the Spring Festival, with over 184 million road trips in 2024, reflects how self-driven transportation has helped alleviate pressure on rail and air networks. In India, the migrant population still relies heavily on rail transport, especially during peak seasons when tickets are scarce and unaffordable.
The challenge India faces is not just overcrowding but the lack of sufficient rail capacity, which is exacerbated by an underdeveloped air network and overcrowded roads. While India is seeing improvements in its road and air networks, it is still struggling to match the pace of development in rail infrastructure. To truly address these problems, India needs to enhance rail capacity while continuing to develop its road and air networks to ease the load on the rail system.
As India’s economy grows, it must also ensure that the needs of its large population, especially migrant workers, are met with dignity and comfort during travel. Despite the challenges, India can learn from China’s success in managing large-scale travel and apply similar efforts to modernize and expand its own rail network. Ultimately, better rail services can ensure that facilities like train toilets are used for their intended purpose, rather than as makeshift spaces for overcrowded passengers.