In a striking reflection of both festive fervor and infrastructural limitations, all tickets for the Ganpati special trains announced by Central Railway for the Konkan region were sold out just 1 minute and 38 seconds after bookings opened on Tuesday morning. As demand surged, waitlist numbers shot past 1,000 in just 98 seconds, leaving hundreds of hopeful travelers staring at the “Regret” message on the IRCTC website.
"The scramble for tickets highlights the annual travel chaos that surrounds Ganesh Chaturthi, a major festival that sees lakhs of Konkan residents returning to their hometowns to celebrate with family. This year, the festival begins on August 27, and despite a record number of special trains announced by Indian Railways, the rush has once again overwhelmed the system," said a passenger activist.
To manage the expected spike, the Railways launched an aggressive plan beginning in mid-July. On July 18, Central Railway announced 250 special trains for the season. That number was later increased to 302 trains through additional announcements on July 30 and July 31, including MEMU services and the much-anticipated Madgaon Jn – Lokmanya Tilak (T) Weekly Special (01003/01004).
However, the measures fell short of demand. Bookings for the 01003 Ganpati Special opened at 8:00 AM on Tuesday (August 5). By 8:01:38 AM, the train had already crossed a waitlist of 1,000, far exceeding acceptable limits. On both online platforms and at ticket counters, users were left with no option but to seek alternatives.
“This happens every year, but this time it was over in seconds. I logged in at 7:58 AM, and by the time I clicked, I was on waitlist 700,” said Sudesh Kamble, a Mumbai-based IT professional originally from Konkan.
With all special and regular trains now fully booked, many passengers are turning to private buses, carpools, and flights—though those too are rapidly becoming unavailable. Travel costs are also surging, with reports of dynamic pricing pushing one-way fares to unaffordable levels for many.
Experts say the chaos underscores a recurring problem: a lack of scalable infrastructure and dynamic planning around high-demand travel periods, particularly during culturally significant festivals like Ganeshotsav.
“Every year, this demand is predictable. Yet, supply consistently falls short,” said Ramesh Chavan (36). “What we need is not just more trains, but a complete overhaul in how we prepare for these mass movements.”
"As families in Konkan prepare for the year’s biggest celebration, thousands in Mumbai and other urban centers remain uncertain about whether they will make it home in time—raising fresh concerns over transportation planning, equity in ticketing access, and the need for sustainable long-term solutions," said a retired railway official.
