 "Did you know 2.70 crore passengers were denied train travel in FY 2022-23 due to being waitlisted?")
synopsis
An RTI revealed that a total of 1.76 crore Passenger Name Record (PNR) numbers, against which 2.72 crore passengers were scheduled to travel, were automatically cancelled due to being waitlisted.
More than 2.7 crore passengers could not travel by train in 2022-23 despite buying tickets because of being waitlisted, according to the response to an RTI query. This indicated shortage of trains on busy routes in the country. This figure was 1.65 crore during the previous fiscal year.
According to the Railway Board's response to an RTI request filed by Madhya Pradesh-based activist Chandra Shekhar Gaur, a total of 1.76 crore Passenger Name Record (PNR) numbers, against which 2.72 crore passengers were scheduled to travel, were automatically cancelled due to being waitlisted in 2022-2023.
In 2021-2022, a total of 1.06 crore PNR numbers were automatically revoked, with 1.65 crore passengers planned to fly. The ticket money is returned to customers upon the cancellation of PNRs. The incapacity of the national transporter to supply travellers with verified tickets has been a recurring issue.
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In 2014-15, there were 1.13 crore cancelled PNRs, while in 2015-2016, there were 81.05 lakh. According to official data, it was 72.13 lakh in 2016-2017, 73 lakh in 2017-18, and 68.97 lakh in 2018-2019.
In the fiscal year 2020-21, the total number of PNRs automatically cancelled owing to inactivity on the waiting list was 38.89 lakh, with 61 lakh passengers booked on these PNRs. The Railways has stated that it is working to expand capacity in order to make trains accessible on demand.
"This would reduce the likelihood of passengers being waitlisted," an official explained. Officials also noted that prior to the COVID epidemic, the Railways ran 10,186 trains, which has now increased to 10,678 trains. "Signalling and track work is ongoing throughout the network." This is also being done to allow additional trains to enter service," the official explained.
(With PTI inputs)
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