Train bookings post-April 15 see dip amid uncertainty

HYDERABAD: Train ticket booking data from the South Central Railway (SCR) for post-April 15, the day after three weeks of countrywide lockdown ends, indicates a significant drop in reservation of seats. In a shift from the usual trend of wait-lists for trains, tickets are now available in even air-conditioned coaches.
“A fall of over 70% is observed. Despite train reservation having begun for the days after lockdown, people are uncertain about modes of transportation requiring group travel,” an SCR official told TOI.
“We are receiving several inquiries about extension of the lockdown and, if train services will continue to run smoothly after April 14. Most enquiries are regarding travel to New Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Bihar, and Jharkhand,” he added.
Apart from the stranded passengers in nearby states, most people were unwilling to travel despite availability of trains. As per data available from the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) portal of Indian Railways, people were booking seats in trains for destinations in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.
“I am stuck in Hyderabad currently and I have booked a ticket for April 16 to Mumbai, but I am not sure whether I will be able to return back in time to resume my work because most passenger trains are not available for booking on IRCTC,” tweeted a passenger, tagging the railway authorities.
At the same time, a restoration plan has bee made by the Railway Board with a schedule of trains to be run, their frequency and the availability of rakes but no final decision has been taken yet on the restoration of train services post the lockdown.
Sources reveal that activity of around 100 trains would be affected and they might not be able to run in the first-week post lockdown due to non-availability of rakes.