Mad scramble for train and bus tickets post April 14

Chennai: People hailing from other districts and states trapped in this Tamil Nadu capital due to the 21-day national lockdown, are hoping to reach their home towns in a week's time.

Many people have booked train tickets hoping that the train services will resume on April 15. Everyone is scrambling for train tickets to travel on the first day after the lockdown period, and presently tickets for most of the April 15 trains are available only for reservation against cancellation (RAC) or there is a long waiting list. The booking of tickets for train travel to Kerala is also progressing at a fast pace.

Two days ago seats were available on April 15 Trivandrum Mail for RAC but now waiting list stares at the passengers. The ticket positions for the same train were RAC 56 and RAC 60 on April 16 and 17 respectively two days ago but now the waiting list status is 111 and 75. The waiting list stretches to 150 on other days indicating huge demand for train tickets.

There are no seats available on Trivandrum Express for the first three days after lockdown. The ticket positions are waiting list 9 and RAC 104 for April 15 and April 16 respectively. And less than 150 seats are available on other days.

The situation is no different on trains running to the Malabar side of Kerala. There is a long waiting list for Mangalore Mail on April 15, 16 and 17, and on other days tickets are available only for RAC and that too less than 100 seats. The Mangalore Express is full on April 15 and tickets are available for RAC on April 16 and 17. Close to 250 tickets are available daily for this train on other days.

As a report from Kottayam suggests, there is a heavy rush to book train tickets online. As the booking centres at railway stations are closed, passengers can reserve tickets only through online. The Railways has assured that the ticket amount would be refunded if there is any curb on train services after April 15.

The authorities concerned have also made it clear that blankets would not be provided to passengers travelling on AC coaches. The ticket booking on Kanyakumari-Dibrugarh Vivek Express, mainly used by people travelling to north-eastern regions of the country, is also progressing at a fast pace.

Private bus operators hike fare

Anticipating heavy rush after the lockdown is lifted on April 14, the bus operators have increased the fares for bus services originating from Bengaluru. The new bus charges to prominent places are Ernakulam (Rs 2,800), Kottayam (Rs 2,000), Thiruvananthapuram (via Thirunelveli Rs 2,400), Kozhikode (Rs 1,850) and Kannur (Rs 1,300).

The entire ticket amount will be refunded to if the lockdown is extended or the bus services are cancelled. But certain bus operators have not started ticket booking as they are sceptical about the resumption of bus services even if the lockdown is eased.