Editor,
I am writing to highlight a pressing issue affecting the people of Arunachal Pradesh, particularly those traveling by the lone train service between Delhi and Arunachal, which operates twice a week. Despite booking tickets well in advance, many passengers from Arunachal face significant hardships due to a lack of confirmed seats. Often the tickets get cancelled or they are placed on RAC (Reservation Against Cancellation), forcing them to share seats for the entire journey of around 40 hours. Meanwhile, passengers traveling shorter distances often secure confirmed seats, as many seats become vacant after their stops.
This situation is especially troubling given that many Arunachalees need to travel for medical or other urgent reasons. The lack of reserved seats adds stress to people already dealing with life-threatening situations. Furthermore, the prohibitively high cost of Air Travel makes the train the only affordable option for most, particularly during emergencies.
Given that this is the only direct train connection between Delhi and Arunachal Pradesh, I urge the concerned authorities to allocate reserved seats for long-distance travelers, ensuring they can travel with certainty, particularly in emergencies.
I hope the railway authorities and the Government of Arunachal Pradesh will take swift action to address this issue and improve the travel experience for the interest of people of Arunachal.
Chibi Lombi
Jamia Millia Islamia,
Delhi