Kolkata/New Delhi | April 26, 2026
A sudden surge of voters rushing back to West Bengal has triggered a sharp spike in airfares and train ticket prices to Kolkata, with many blaming the ripple effect of the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. What should have been a routine electoral process is now being seen as a logistical shockwave, pushing travel demand to extreme levels.
Airlines operating on major routes to Kolkata are witnessing unprecedented bookings, with last-minute ticket prices reportedly shooting up multiple times their usual rates. Travel platforms show near-full occupancy on key sectors, while premium pricing has effectively priced out many lower-income voters — raising serious concerns about whether the democratic process is becoming indirectly “pay-to-participate.”
Indian Railways is also under immense pressure, with long waiting lists and overcrowded compartments becoming the norm. Visuals from major stations show chaotic scenes as migrant workers and daily wage earners scramble for any available seat to make it back in time to vote. Special trains are being demanded, but so far, response remains limited.
Political observers argue that the SIR exercise, while aimed at cleaning electoral rolls, has unintentionally triggered mass voter displacement pressures. Critics say authorities underestimated the scale of reverse migration, turning what should have been an administrative update into a full-blown travel and economic crunch.
As polling dates approach, the situation raises a deeper question: has the system inadvertently created barriers for voters it was meant to empower?
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