Diwali & Chhath Rush: Massive Waiting Lists for Major Trains
Indian Railways is currently grappling with an unprecedented surge in passenger demand as the festive season of Diwali and Chhath Puja approaches. Travelers across the country are finding it increasingly difficult to secure confirmed berths, with waiting lists soaring across several key corridors.
Severe Waiting List Crisis on Major Routes
As of October 13, 2026, the pressure on the rail network has become evident through staggering waiting list numbers in various classes. For those attempting to book the Goa Express, the sleeper class waiting list has hit 78. Similarly, the Jhelum Express is seeing a waiting list of 40, while the Karnataka Express from Agra has a waiting list of 24 in the sleeper category.
The situation is even more critical for passengers traveling from major hubs like Jaipur. Trains heading toward Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Bengal, and Jharkhand are consistently reporting waiting lists exceeding 100. Furthermore, trains originating from Ballia are facing an extreme shortage of seats, with waiting lists ranging between 160 and 200, and absolutely no availability in AC coaches.
Special Trains and New Alert Systems Announced
To mitigate this massive congestion and assist holiday travelers, Indian Railways has announced the deployment of over 100 special trains. Key updates to manage the festive load include:
- Central Railway: Has introduced a massive fleet of 418 special services to handle the seasonal influx.
- Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) & North Western Railway: Have added dedicated festive routes to cater to specific passenger demands.
- Northern Railway: Has implemented a new SMS alert system designed to notify passengers regarding seat availability and the deployment of additional coaches, specifically for those traveling to Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
Impact of Recent Disruptions and Protests
Adding to the travel woes is a massive backlog caused by recent widespread disruptions. On October 10, 2026, a total of 245 trains—including 75 mail and express services—were cancelled due to protests organized by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) in Delhi.
Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay, Chief Public Relations Officer of Northern Railway, stated that 38 trains arriving at New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin were cancelled between 4 AM and 2 PM on that day to help manage road congestion in the capital. These cancellations drew sharp criticism from Shiv Gopal Mishra, General Secretary of the All India Railwaymen's Federation (AIRF), who described the cancellations as unprecedented and harmful to passengers.
While normal train operations resumed on October 11, 2026, the combination of the protest-induced backlog and the intense festive demand continues to put immense pressure on the national railway network.