Why the Indian Railways changed course – and how it can get back on track

Crowds and enormous numbers have always been an essential part of the Indian Railways. As the fourth-largest network in the world, it transports nearly 23 million passengers every day on its 68,000 km of track. Put another way, in 2020, it operated 1.1 trillion km of passenger traffic.

But over the past few months, images that have surfaced on social media show passengers across classes crammed into trains at levels that seem inhuman.

PNR 8900276502
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. @AshwiniVaishnaw

I want a total refund of ₹1173.95 @DRMBRCWR pic.twitter.com/O3aWrRqDkq— Anshul Sharma (@whoisanshul) November 11, 2023

Situation is getting worse day by day.

- Kaifiyat Express: 12226, 3AC
- It's alleged that those whose seats were reserved, they were not allowed to go inside, so they had broken the glasses.pic.twitter.com/Tk2xLB5v0L https://t.co/EFTcXaQCGK— زماں (@Delhiite_) April 18, 2024

The contrast is especially stark because other influential corners of social media are consistently propagating images of plush, roomy trains being flagged off by the score. When the Railways itself repeatedly refuses to acknowledge the problem or, worse still, outright denies it – for example, the X handle of the railways ministry in...

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