IndiGo Flight Cancellations: Indian Railways has moved quickly to support travelers affected by recent IndiGo flight cancellations and severe weather conditions. A total of 116 extra coaches have been added across 37 trains to meet the rising demand, especially on high-traffic routes from Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Guwahati, and Bhubaneswar.
Officials stated that this decision comes after closely monitoring the surge in bookings and waitlists. Passengers who were planning to travel by air but faced disruptions are now turning to trains as a reliable alternative. The extra coaches cover 3AC, 2AC, Sleeper Class, and Chair Car, catering to different passenger needs.
Northern Railway Strengthens Delhi and Jammu Routes
The Northern Railway added extra coaches on busy northbound routes:
- New Delhi–Jammu Tawi (12425/12426): 6 extra trips from NDLS to JAT and 8 from JAT to NDLS (3AC)
- New Delhi–Dibrugarh (12423/12424): 6 extra trips NDLS to DBRG, 8 DBRG to NDLS (3AC)
- New Delhi–Chandigarh Shatabdi (12045/12046): 1 extra Chair Car
- New Delhi–Amritsar Shatabdi (12029/12030): 3 extra Chair Car coaches each way
Western and Eastern Zones Receive Additional Support
Western Railway focused on Mumbai and Ahmedabad routes, adding:
- Mumbai Central–New Delhi (12951): 5 extra 2AC trips
- Sabarmati–New Delhi (12957): 5 extra 2AC trips
- New Delhi–Lucknow (12429/12430): 1 extra 3AC coach
On the eastern routes, Northeast Frontier, East Central, East Coast, and Eastern Railways have strengthened services to Assam, Patna, Bhubaneswar, and Kolkata:
- Guwahati–Sangaldan (15609/15610): 8 extra Sleeper + 3AC trips each way
- Rajendra Nagar–New Delhi (12309) and Bhubaneswar–New Delhi (20817/20811/20823): 5 extra 2AC trips each
Southern Railway Sees Maximum Additions
Southern Railway has added the largest number of extra coaches due to heavy demand and adverse weather:
- Thiruvananthapuram–Calicut Jan Shatabdi (12075/12076): 5 Chair Car coaches
- Chennai–Coimbatore (12243/12244): 1 Chair Car
- Chennai–Thiruvananthapuram (12695/12696): 5 Sleeper coaches
- Several trains in the Chennai Egmore sector have been augmented with extra Sleeper coaches for destinations like Thanjavur, Kollam, and Salem
Why This Sudden Expansion ?
Railway officials point out multiple reasons:
- IndiGo flight cancellations and delays due to Airbus A320 software updates
- Severe weather conditions in southern India
- Increased travel demand due to early-December festivals and business trips
Advice for Passengers
Travelers are advised to check updated coach positions on NTES or IRCTC, monitor waitlist updates, and plan travel ahead to avoid station rush. Railways continue to monitor demand and may add further coaches if necessary.
With this quick action, Indian Railways ensures smooth travel for passengers relying on trains during airline disruptions.
