More than five lakh passengers travelling to and from Nagpur faced major inconvenience after 371 trains were cancelled over the last one-and-a-half years. The cancellations not only disrupted travel plans but also forced many passengers to make last-minute arrangements to reach their destinations. While some had to spend thousands of rupees on flight tickets, others were left with the only option of travelling by overcrowded buses or private vehicles. The figures have come to light through a Right to Information (RTI) application filed by activist Abhay Kolarkar, based on the data provided by the Central Railways for the period from January 1, 2025, to May 31, 2026. A typical long-distance Indian Railways train (with 22 to 24 coaches) has a designated capacity of about 1,400 to 1,600 passengers at a time. However, during peak festive seasons and summer or winter vacations, that capacity can stretch upto 2000 passengers due to unreserved or waitlisted travellers. Even if the lower estimate of these numbers is considered, these cancellations may have affected upto 5,19,400 passengers.

 

May 2025 recorded highest train cancellations at 84, followed by 64 in January 2025 and 56 in February 2025. A senior citizen said that air travel is extremely expensive in India, and private buses are inconvenient and often inaccessible for senior citizens or children, so trains are often the last resort for most. In that light, these frequent cancellations leave no means for people, especially those belonging to low or middle income categories who cannot spend an exorbitant amount of money for travel. Dipali Titarmare, a resident of Nagpur, shared her disappointing experience with train travel.

 

“I was travelling outside Maharashtra for a wedding with my two children, elderly in-laws and husband. Two days before the journey, my husband recieved a message saying that our train had been cancelled, but the website did not reflect this when I referred to it, even till nighttime. Then the next day, my husband went to the station to confirm the status and then we discovered it was actually cancelled.” She recalled and added that they had to spend nearly another one lakh rupees to reach Mumbai on time so they could catch the connecting train that would take them to their actual destination.