Chhath Puja Chaos: The Struggles of Commuters at Delhi’s Overcrowded Railway Stations
Massive crowds fill Delhi's railway stations and ISBTs as travelers rush home for Chhath Puja, facing severe overcrowding and delays.
Unprecedented Crowds at Delhi Railway Stations and ISBTs Amid Chhath Puja Rush: A Look at the Overwhelming Passenger Experience
With the approaching auspicious festival of Chhath Puja, a sharp spike in passenger traffic is being witnessed at railway stations and inter-state bus terminals (ISBTs) across India. Delhi, Mumbai, Surat, and Patna are big hubs experiencing a never-before rush to head back to one’s hometown.
While the Indian Railways have arranged special trains to accommodate the high rush, the heavy overcrowding at the stations has left the passengers fending for space. The reports even suggest that several passengers have not even got a standing room.
Special tents have also been erected to provide shelter for the masses awaiting their trains at Delhi’s Anand Vihar Railway Station. However, in Mumbai, the situation is critical, especially at Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) where overcrowding has people hanging onto train doors.
In some cases, desperate travelers are sitting or even standing in train toilets since all seats are occupied. The situation has become so dire that travelers are sharing their harrowing experiences on social media, highlighting the appalling conditions they are undergoing.
A passenger had captured an instance wherein, after exhausting 13 hours on his feet and with eight hours more to travel, he narrated the woes thus: “There is no food, in fact, there are quarrels and pushing. We cannot do anything; a lot of people are being stuffed into the train. The condition is bad; we are standing here like dogs.”. Another tourist, who had entered from Rohtak, said that not even the toilets remained vacant as people were not allowed to sit anywhere.
Delayed train schedules at Patna have now created a worse scenario here that has made it tough for the passengers in transit. Travelers intending to reach Bihar and surrounding localities are said to face the problem of hours together, waiting for the already tardy trains.
Further complications arise in this strained air of crowded people. Even more or less similar had been the case with Udhna Railway Station at Surat, where the issues reported by the travelers during getting on and off were amidst the rush and other untidy operations.
To manage the crowds of people, Indian Railways has provided Government Railway Police and Railway Protection Force at key stations and even started Rail Sewaks that help senior citizens and passengers having disabilities.
According to Dilip Kumar, Executive Director of Information and Publicity for Railway Board, special arrangements are in place at all the major stations such as New Delhi, Anand Vihar, Ahmedabad, Surat, Baroda, Mumbai, Bandra, Vijayawada, Vishakhapatnam, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Bengaluru. Over 160 special trains are already being operated on peak days, with more to be put into place on days of increased traffic volumes.
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To further ease the congestion, more coaches were to be added to some of the already available trains and hundreds of CCTV cameras would be installed at the main points which would allow for smooth handling of passengers. Delhi alone was to get 195 special trains, only for thirteen days, in order to be on schedule with the increasing festival needs of Chhath Puja.
The figure as declared by the Satish Kumar, the Chairmen of the Railway Board stands confirmed. Passengers can easily book tickets through online and offline mediums; unreserved seats are also available for passengers who are not able to get confirmed tickets. Kumar told the travelers, “We have restricted unnecessary movement and are ready to assist all passengers during this crucial festival period.”.
The Chhath Puja festival is the worship of the Sun God and is performed throughout northern and eastern India, especially in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand. While families are all set to celebrate this festive occasion, the issues prevailing at the railway stations and ISBTs indicate an urgent need for efficient transport management during peak travel time. The rush shows that the festival is not only popular but also shows some of the logistical challenges to be overcome in making it a much smoother travel experience for everyone.
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