As large-scale flight cancellations and delays continued to disrupt air travel across India, the Railway Ministry has launched 104 special train services to help stranded passengers reach their destinations. The move comes as IndiGo faces one of its most prolonged operational crises in recent years, forcing thousands of travellers to abruptly shift to rail transport.
Swift Action After Passenger Flow Review
According to the Railway Ministry, the special services were planned after an urgent review of passenger movement and congestion at key hubs including New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Patna and Howrah. Railway Board Executive Director for Information and Publicity Dilip Kumar said the response was designed to ease pressure on existing services and provide immediate alternatives for air passengers.
He added that more special trains will be introduced if demand rises, and all railway zones have been asked to deploy additional rakes, crew and station manpower to manage the surge safely and efficiently.
Airport Outreach and Passenger Awareness Drives
To ensure stranded passengers are informed in real time, railway divisions have begun working closely with airport authorities. Public announcements, digital boards and on-ground coordination are being used to display information about special trains and booking schedules.
South Eastern Railway confirmed it has issued public notices and requested airport operators to display details of the additional services prominently so air travellers can quickly switch to rail options.
Multiple Railway Zones Mobilised
Several railway zones have rolled out additional connectivity:
- Western Railway announced seven special trains on routes such as Mumbai Central–New Delhi, Mumbai Central–Bhiwani, Mumbai Central–Shakur Basti, Bandra Terminus–Durgapura, Valsad–Bilaspur, and Sabarmati–Delhi.
- South Central Railway scheduled four special services to handle crowd spillover.
- Central Railway and Northern Railway prepared 14 and 10 special trains respectively.
- Other zones have also issued independent notifications with revised timetables and destination links.
Officials stressed that the plan remains flexible and will be scaled further based on passenger load.
Flight Disruptions Turn Railways Into the Lifeline
IndiGo’s disruptions have now stretched for nearly five days, marked by high cancellation rates, prolonged delays and complaints of delayed or misplaced baggage. With many passengers unable to secure alternative flights at short notice, railways have emerged as the most dependable fallback for essential travel.
For students, patients, families and business travellers trapped by the aviation collapse, these special services are serving as a critical mobility bridge rather than merely an alternative.
Infrastructure Stress-Test for Indian Railways
The sudden spike in demand triggered by flight chaos has effectively turned the situation into a live stress-test for India’s railway emergency response system. While congestion risks remain, the coordinated national response is being closely watched as a model for managing large-scale multimodal disruptions in the future.
