Chennai: In view of the Pongal festival, reserved tickets on most express trains were sold out within just 5 minutes.
The Pongal festival will be celebrated on Jan. 15 next year (Friday). The Bhogi festival falls on Jan. 14, Mattu Pongal on Jan. 16, and Kaanum Pongal on Jan. 17. In view of these festivals, to make it convenient to travel by train from metropolitan cities including Chennai to hometowns, tickets can be booked as early as 60 days in advance.
Accordingly, ticket reservations for travel on Jan. 13 began at 8 a.m. yesterday through the IRCTC website and reservation centers, and bookings were made briskly. On most trains departing from Chennai to the southern districts, ticket reservations were completed within 5 to 10 minutes, and the waiting list was reached.
In particular, reservations for travel in the second-class sleeper coaches of the Pandian, Nellai, Pothigai, and Muthுநகர் Express trains, which depart for Madurai, Tirunelveli, Sengottai, Kanyakumari, and Thoothukudi, were completed within 3 to 5 minutes.
Similarly, on the Nilgiri and Cheran express trains departing from Chennai Central to Coimbatore, too, reservations were sold out and it showed “regret.” At the same time, seats were available on daytime trains. At reservation centers, the public waited in long queues, and there has also been a demand to announce special trains for Jan. 15.