Nagpur, India: Passengers travelling between Nagpur and Howrah are facing major inconvenience as several trains on this route have been cancelled for nearly two weeks. The cancellations come due to work being carried out by the South East Central Railway on the Raigarh–Jharsuguda section from April 11 to 23.

At least 36 trains have been cancelled and a few others diverted or cut short. Some of the key trains affected include:

• Gitanjali Express (12859/12860)

• Azad Hind Express (12129/12130)

• Jnaneshwari Express (12101/12102)

• Howrah-Pune Duronto Express (12222/12221)

• Howrah-Mumbai Express (12869/12870)

• Santragachi-Pune Express (20821/20822)

Many passengers were caught off guard, having received sudden SMS alerts from the railways. With most trains cancelled or fully booked, ticket availability on remaining trains shows as “regret.”

Due to the sharp drop in rail options, many travellers are now turning to air travel. This surge in demand has caused airfares between Nagpur and Kolkata to rise sharply. A one-way ticket, which usually costs ₹7,000 to ₹8,000, is now being sold for as much as ₹20,000.

Here’s a look at recent airfare trends:

• April 11: ₹20,120

• April 12: ₹18,642

• April 13: ₹14,861

• April 14: ₹16,020

• April 15: ₹14,861

The steep increase in airfares has especially hit families and group travellers. A round trip by train for a family of four in 2AC would typically cost around ₹20,000. Now, a one-way flight could cost up to ₹60,000 for the same group.

Passengers are advised to stay updated through official railway websites and make alternate travel plans where possible.