People working in New Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Surat, Gujarat, Hyderabad, Punjab and other provinces are returning to their homes on Diwali and Chhath Puja. At present, seats in trains are available on waiting list.
Due to Diwali and Chhath Puja, the premium Tatkal tickets in trains coming from metropolitan cities to Varanasi have increased three to four times. People are ready to pay a premium rate even for a train seat, which is equivalent to the plane fare. There is more pressure on the Varanasi to Kolkata route including Bihar, Jharkhand. Tickets on long distance trains are not available till November. There is a fight for the confirmed seat.
People working in New Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Surat, Gujarat, Hyderabad, Punjab and other provinces are returning to their homes on Diwali and Chhath Puja. At present, seats in trains are available on waiting list. Special and Puja special trains are also not able to bridge the waiting gap. On the other hand, due to increasing pressure from passengers, premium Tatkal tickets in IRCTC trains have also become expensive. Premium Tatkal ticket in third AC in Vibhuti Express from Varanasi to Howrah on November 8 is Rs 3500. Whereas the fare of second AC and first AC has reached four to five thousand rupees. This situation has been going on for the last one week. The prices of premium Tatkal tickets in trains coming from Punjab Mail, Secunderabad-Patna, Vande Bharat New Delhi-Varanasi, Mahakal Express and Mumbai have become three to four times more expensive.
It will be difficult not only to come, but also to go
Akash Tiwari, associated with Tour and Travels, said that the fare of premium Tatkal ticket has reached equal to the air fare on normal days. On normal days, the airfare from Varanasi to New Delhi and Mumbai is four to five thousand rupees. At present, premium Tatkal tickets are being booked for Rs 3500 to Rs 4000. Before the ticket is booked, the price appears low, but as soon as the booking process starts, the price starts increasing. Right now there is no space in the trains coming from metros. After ten days, people going from nearby stations including Varanasi will also not get space in trains. People are also booking departure tickets before coming.
