Across the southern states, especially Tamil Nadu, millions of migrant workers are racing home to celebrate Diwali with their families. File photo
Southern Railway trains swamped as migrant workers head home for Diwali
As Diwali nears, Chennai Central railway station sees a surge of migrant workers from northern states rushing home on overcrowded trains as special train services prove inadequate
With the festival of lights just days away, Indian Railways is witnessing a tidal wave of passengers. Across the southern states, especially Tamil Nadu, millions of migrant workers are racing home to celebrate Diwali with their families.
At Chennai Central Railway Station, the heart of the rush, families from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, and Rajasthan wait with luggage and boxes of sweets, ready for the long journey home. Despite extra trains being added, the crowd has overwhelmed platforms.
“I booked my tickets two months ago because there is a lot of crowd. Many people didn’t get tickets — seven from my group are going in the general compartment,” said one passenger heading to Jaipur.
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Overwhelmed rail network
The Indian Railways has deployed several special trains from Tamil Nadu hubs, ferrying more than five lakh passengers daily this season. Yet, the demand far exceeds capacity, leaving thousands without confirmed tickets.
“I tried booking but couldn’t get a ticket. The crowd is huge, and it keeps growing at every station. But it doesn’t matter — I’m just happy to go home,” said another traveller.
For many, reaching home means enduring over 24 hours of standing travel. “We’ll go sitting on the footboard if needed. It’s Diwali — we have to go,” a migrant worker said, describing the packed compartments.
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A human tide of hope
With passenger numbers swelling nearly 40 per cent beyond normal, railway stations have become seas of people waiting shoulder-to-shoulder. Many migrants say they haven’t seen their families in months.
“It’s been six or seven months since I met my family. I’ll adjust somehow — what else can I do?” another worker said, smiling through exhaustion.
Railway authorities and police have increased crowd-control measures and introduced mobile apps like UTS for quick ticket bookings. Despite these efforts, long queues and overcrowded compartments remain unavoidable.
For thousands of workers, the journey may be uncomfortable, but reaching home in time for Diwali makes every struggle worth it.
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