More than 1.60 cr waitlisted passengers denied train travel in FY22: RTI response

More than 1.60 cr waitlisted passengers denied train travel in FY22: RTI response

More than 1.60 crore passengers could not travel by trains in 2021-22 despite buying tickets because of being waitlisted, according to the response to an RTI query, indicating shortage of trains on busy routes in the country.

The Railway Board said in 2021-2022, a total of 1,06,19,487 (1.06 crore) Passenger Name Record (PNR) numbers against which 1,65,01,187 (1.65 crore) passengers were scheduled to travel, were automatically cancelled due to being waitlisted.

After cancellation of PNRs, the ticket fare is refunded to the passengers.

The response to the RTI query filed by Madhya Pradesh-based activist Chandra Shekhar Gaur also stated that almost 5 crore PNRs were automatically cancelled because of being waitlisted in the last five years.

The inability to provide confirmed tickets to passengers has been a recurrent problem with the national transporter.

While in 2014-15, the number of cancelled PNRs stood at 1.13 crore (1,13,17,481), the number in 2015-2016 was 81.05 lakh (81,05,022), in 2016-2017 it was 72.13 lakh (72,13,131), in 2017-18 it was 73 lakh (73,02,042) and in 2018-2019, the number stood at 68.97 lakh (68,97,922), according to official figures.

In the year 2020-21, the total number of PNRs auto cancelled due to remaining in waiting list was 38,89,379 (38.89 lakh) and 61 lakh (61,14,915) passengers were booked on these PNRs.

According to the figures, the railway passenger sector requirement in 2019-2020 was 8.4 billion and the average drop in the waiting list was 8.9 per cent. During the busy season, 13.3 per cent passengers were not able to get confirmed reservations.

With the demand for more number of trains from passengers, the railways has introduced around 800 new trains in the last six years since the Railway Budget was merged with the General Budget in the year 2016.

According to official figures, no new trains were introduced in the financial year 2020-21 due to COVID-19 pandemic. It brought in 144 new train services in 2019-20, 266 services in 2018-2019, 170 services in 2017-2018 and 223 services in 2016-2017. While 144 new train services were introduced in 2019-20, 266 services in 2018-2019, 170 services in 2017-2018 and 223 services in 2016-2017.