Heading home for festivals holds a special place in the hearts of many, and for Biharis, being in their hometown during the sacred festival of Chhath is more than just a tradition. The longing to share moments with family during such festivities is unmatched. However, for one man, this cherished journey turned into a tale of disappointment as his waitlisted RAC ticket unexpectedly moved from 12 to 18 overnight. Journalist Himanshu Jha took to X and shared this disappointment, tagging the Indian Railways.
Journalist Himanshu Jha took to X and shared frustration over fluctuating train reservations for the Chhath festival
A man booked his ticket weeks in advance on the Swatantrata Senani Express, hoping to secure a confirmed seat to join his family for Chhath, one of the most significant festivals for people from Bihar. However, this train ticket from New Delhi to Darbhanga turned into a confusing ordeal due to Indian Railways’ unpredictable reservation system.
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According to the attached screenshots, when he first booked, his ticket was on a long waiting list at position 124, which slowly began to improve over time. By the end of September, the waiting list number dropped to 31, and as November approached, it went down further to 12, giving him confidence that he would soon have a confirmed reservation. But to his surprise, when the final chart was prepared on the day of the journey, his waitlist position jumped back to 18.
This unexpected shift left him disappointed and frustrated, especially as the Chhath festival is an emotionally significant occasion for families who eagerly gather to celebrate their culture.
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Journalist Himanshu Jha, sharing the passenger’s experience on X (formerly known as Twitter), expressed his dismay over Indian Railways’ reservation process. He questioned how a system could allow a confirmed ticket to fluctuate so unpredictably, even after it had shown a steady improvement.
Have a look at the tweet
Journalist Himanshu Jha took to X and shared this ordeal. His tweet read,
“What is going on in the railways? On October 30, the ticket RAC was 31. Yesterday it was stuck at RAC 12. When the chart was prepared today, the waiting became 18. What kind of reservation system is this? Railway Minister
ji, will you understand what will happen if a Bihari is not able to come home on the occasion of Chhath?”
Check it out,
रेलवे में आखिर क्या चल रहा है? 30 अक्टूबर को टिकट RAC 31 था। कल RAC 12 पर अटका था। जब आज चार्ट तैयार हुआ तो वेटिंग 18 हो गया। यह कैसा रिजर्वेशन सिस्टम है? छठ के मौके पर अगर एक बिहारी घर नहीं आ पाए तो क्या हाल होगा, वह आप समझेंगे रेल मंत्री @AshwiniVaishnaw जी? @IndianRailMedia pic.twitter.com/buYtdN4Yp2
— Himanshu Jha (@ImHimanshuJha) November 3, 2024
RailwaySeva, the official support account for Indian railways, took to the comment section and made a swift response
RailwaySeva, the official support account for Indian railways on Twitter, made a swift response to this tweet of Journalist Himanshu. The reply of RailwaySeva read,
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“The concerned authorities are being informed. Your complaint has been registered on RailMadad and complaint no. has been sent to your mobile number via SMS.”
Have a look at it,
आपकी शिकायत RailMadad पर दर्ज कर ली गई है और शिकायत सं। आपके मोबाइल नंबर पर एसएमएस के माध्यम से भेजा गया है। आप इस लिंक https://t.co/5jRBcou3Uh के माध्यम से अपनी शिकायत को ट्रैक कर सकते हैं
— RailwaySeva (@RailwaySeva) November 3, 2024
The Railway official contacted the journalist and asked him to advise the passenger to be ready for the journey
Soon after the post went viral and the RailwaySeva responded a new update came from Journalist Himanshu’s end. Via the comments on his tweet, he shared that a Railways official personally reached out, and asked him to advise the traveler to prepare for the upcoming journey.
“I have been contacted by the railways. I have been asked to stay ready (the traveller) for tomorrow’s journey. If this happens, then thanks to
ji.”
रेलवे की तरफ से संपर्क किया गया है। कल की यात्रा के लिए तैयार रहने को कहा गया है। अगर ऐसा होता है तो @AshwiniVaishnaw जी का धन्यवाद।
— Himanshu Jha (@ImHimanshuJha) November 3, 2024
What are your thoughts on this? Does this move in the waiting of RAC tickets ever happened with you? Do share your thoughts via the comments below.
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