New Delhi: Indian Railways has responded to the nationwide disruption caused by mass IndiGo flight cancellations by adding 116 coaches to 37 trains and running special services to absorb the sudden surge in demand. The railway boost aims to help passengers left stranded after the airline cancelled hundreds of domestic flights over several days.

The move comes after widespread cancellations across IndiGo’s network that left major airports crowded and travellers scrambling for alternatives. Regulators and news agencies have reported severe disruption at key hubs including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai. Authorities say the cancellations have been driven by crew constraints and a recent operational squeeze that affected rosters and flight duty schedules.

Spread across multiple zones, the 37 trains selected for augmentation fall under Northern Railway, Western Railway, Northeast Frontier Railway, East Central Railway, East Coast Railway, Eastern Railway and Southern Railway. These services will operate with enhanced capacity between December 5 and December 13 to meet the sudden spike in travel demand.

The Northern Railway zone was among the first to scale up capacity. It attached AC 3-tier and Chair Car coaches to high-traffic long-distance services such as New Delhi–Jammu Tawi and New Delhi–Dibrugarh. These corridors typically see a sharp passenger spillover whenever air services are disrupted. Other zones soon followed suit. The Southern Railway added multiple sleeper class coaches on heavily used routes including Chennai–Thiruvananthapuram, Chennai–Kollam, Chennai–Mumbai and Thiruvananthapuram–Kozhikode. The Eastern and Northeast Frontier Railways deployed a combination of sleeper, AC 2-tier and AC 3-tier coaches on key intercity sectors to manage the surge.

The Western Railway strengthened its capacity by adding AC 2-tier coaches to select trains operating between Mumbai, Sabarmati and New Delhi, which are considered major business travel corridors. The Northeast Frontier Railway enhanced services on the Guwahati–Sairang (Aizawl) and return routes with additional 3A and sleeper coaches. The Eastern Railway also increased capacity on commuter-heavy sectors such as Howrah–Raxaul, Sealdah–Jaynagar and Sealdah–Ballia by attaching sleeper and Chair Car coaches, officials said.

Railways’ statement, carried in a government release reported by national outlets, noted that the step was taken after coordination with the ministry of railways and zonal railways. The goal is to provide alternate travel options for passengers whose flight plans were cancelled or delayed. Railway sources said the additional coaches will be progressively attached and will be reflected in reservation systems where berths are available.

Scale of the airline disruption

Due to the ongoing operational crisis at IndiGo, with the airline cancelling a large number of flights over multiple days, airports and passengers across the country reported overcrowded terminals and long queues as bookings shifted from air to rail. While different outlets give varying totals, the consensus is that the disruption was extensive and affected hundreds of flights and thousands of passengers.

Why flights were cancelled

News reports attribute the cancellations largely to a shortage of crew and complications arising from flight duty time limitations and crew rostering. Regulators have engaged with the airline. In some cases, the government granted targeted exemptions or temporary relief while investigations and corrective measures were put in place. The industry has maintained that the issue was an operational crunch rather than a demand-related slowdown.

What passengers should know

Rail travellers hoping to use the extra coaches should check the official Indian Railways website and the passenger reservation system for current seat availability. Passengers with existing train reservations should also verify coach position and platform information, as augmented rakes sometimes change train lengths and boarding points. The airlines and airports arranged limited additional services or waived certain charges to assist affected passengers.

Practical impact and reactions

For many stranded travellers, rail connectivity offered immediate relief. Train tickets were available at short notice on several busy routes, and overnight services provided options that flights could not. However, switching to rail was not practical for everyone. Travel time increased substantially on some routes, and onward connections were still affected in several cases.

Authorities and opposition leaders called for accountability while promising to monitor the restoration of normal flight operations. The aviation ministry and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation reviewed the sequence of events that triggered the cancellations. IndiGo issued public apologies and said it was working to stabilise services while processing refunds and rescheduling requests.

Broader picture

The episode once again highlighted the interconnected nature of India’s transport ecosystem. When air travel faces stress, passenger movement rapidly shifts to rail and road. Indian Railways has previously expanded capacity during festival seasons, strikes and weather-related disruptions. The swift augmentation this time demonstrated its ability to respond in a crisis. Transport planners, however, point out that such emergency measures are temporary fixes. Long-term stability will depend on stronger operational planning by airlines and coordinated crisis management across transport modes.

With 116 coaches added to 37 trains and several special services introduced, Indian Railways stepped in to cushion the immediate impact of the IndiGo flight disruptions. Passengers affected by the cancellations are advised to track official announcements, confirm reservations and explore rail alternatives where feasible. Authorities say efforts are underway to normalise air operations while ensuring affected travellers receive refunds and rebooking support.