Charu Chellani, solo traveller
Travelling in today’s India feels like flipping a coin—excitement on one side, unease on the other. With rising accidents, there’s a silent fear that tags along with every journey ticket. I’ve felt it deeply, each time my family boards a train. I double-check the news before I check the timetable. We aren’t just packing bags anymore; we’re packing prayers. The infrastructure? Let’s just say our stations and airports wear their age like battle scars. We don’t need glamour, we need functioning escalators, real-time updates, and staff who care.
Kavita Gusain, writer and storyteller
After several tragic incidents by train or air, my anxiety is at its peak whenever one of my family members is out or travelling. Just a few days back, my sister had to go to Dimapur (Nagaland). She was taking a flight and I became extremely anxious. I kept looking at the phone as I wanted to get a notification as soon as she landed. Recently, my mom and dad went to Rishikesh, and they went by bus, and since the weather was not so good, it made me anxious.
Debadrita Saha, researcher, Ashoka University
Due to increased privatisation and disinvestment in public sector ventures, especially transportation, I feel there is a lack of regular maintenance of transportation. On top of that, the fares are high and the facilities they offer are unreliable.
Tisha Ahuja, writer and PR professional
While travelling, I have become extra cautious now. I always share my live location with family, save local emergency numbers, and research the safety reputation of the destination in advance. When travelling by flight, I check airline safety records sometimes, which is something I never bothered about earlier. And whether it’s a hotel or a cab, I prefer verified services. I think most people are subconsciously adding these checks to their routine now. These problems are occurring because of the inconsistency in public infrastructure. You will see one world-class airport and then a station that feels like it’s stuck in the ’90s. The upkeep, safety drills, and crowd management require a lot of serious work. The government should probably invest more in periodic safety audits, emergency response training, and infrastructure upgrades, not just on paper but on the ground.
Nisha Popli, PR professional
The most ridiculous issue I’ve faced while travelling is repeated, unnecessary delays in private buses. On a recent trip, our bus stopped around 8–10 times due to mechanical faults. It was exhausting and avoidable. These problems usually occur due to a lack of maintenance and poor regulation. Many buses don’t follow basic standards - no safety kits, no conductors, and sometimes even untrained drivers. There’s very little accountability in this sector. Without government intervention or monitoring, private transport services continue to function below minimum safety and quality levels, causing inconvenience and frustration for travellers.
Roshmi Rekha Dutta, st
I often travel to Assam from Delhi or come back to Delhi from Assam, and to save time, I always take flights. After the recent crash, I feel extremely anxious before boarding my next flight. I am planning to go home in the last week of June, but thinking of taking the flight makes me a bit scared. I do not know what will happen when I get on the plane. Life has become extremely uncertain, and I am pretty sure that many travellers like me also share the same thought.
(As told to Akash Chatterjee)