‘Thanks for ruining my Diwali’: Indian Railways draws flak for chaotic holiday rush handling

Indian Railways is facing widespread criticism for its poor management of the festive holiday rush as millions of Indians embarked on their journeys to celebrate Diwali with their families. Videos circulating on social media depicted scenes of overcrowded trains, long queues, and stranded passengers unable to reach their destinations.

In an effort to alleviate the congestion, the Railways deployed 1,700 special trains, providing an additional 26 lakh berths. "Approximately 26 lakh extra berths have been added for the convenience of passengers," a Railways official told news agency PTI.

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Despite these measures, the overwhelming demand for train reservations left many passengers struggling to secure confirmed berths for their Diwali journeys.

An X (formerly Twitter) user shared a video claiming to have purchased a confirmed ticket yet was unable to board his train in Vadodara, Gujarat. "Indian Railways worst management. Thanks for ruining my Diwali. This is what you get even when you have a confirmed 3rd AC ticket. No help from police. Many people like me were not able to board," he wrote.

The user further described being physically ejected from the train by a crowd of labourers, who locked the doors and prevented him from re-entering. "Police said clearly no to help me and started laughing on the situation," he added.

The Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of Vadodara took cognizance of the incident and urged the railway police to investigate.

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Chaotic scenes were also witnessed at railway stations in New Delhi, where visuals on social media showed stations overflowing with passengers awaiting their trains. The massive crowds triggered panic attacks and dizziness among some passengers, according to police reports.

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