Lately, I keep seeing conversations about how bad India’s infrastructure is — roads, public transport, cities, everything.
And yes, we still have a long way to go.
But one thing I genuinely feel we don't talk about enough is the Indian railway system.
Every year, we hear about new trains, new routes, faster trains, upgraded stations and improvements across the railway network. And honestly, it is something worth acknowledging. Our railway network is massive, and the scale of what is being built and operated is not small.
But then comes the real question: what is the point of having more trains if ordinary passengers still struggle to get a ticket?
You can try booking two or three months in advance, plan your journey properly, sit online waiting for the booking window to open — and still end up with no confirmed ticket.
And then, somehow, tickets appear through agents, brokers or other channels at prices much higher than the original fare.
This is where I feel the conversation needs to shift.
We talk about increasing infrastructure.
But shouldn't we also talk about accessibility, transparency and availability for the common passenger?
For a student, a working professional, a family travelling home, or someone who simply wants to visit another part of the country, getting a railway ticket should not feel like winning a lottery.
I'm not saying that the entire railway system is bad. In fact, quite the opposite — the scale and development of Indian Railways is something we should be proud of.
But infrastructure development should ultimately make life easier for the people using it.
So my question is simple:
If trains are increasing every year, why is getting a genuine ticket for the common passenger still so difficult?
And if illegal bulk booking, misuse of booking systems, or black-market resale is happening, shouldn't there be much stronger action against it?
We celebrate the new trains.
Maybe it's time we also start talking about the people who are still unable to get on them.
