Migrants return to UP and Bihar for Chhath festival; Railways runs over 13,000 special trains

News Topical, Digital Desk : Following the conclusion of Diwali, thousands of migrant workers in metropolitan cities are returning to eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar for the Chhath festival. In response, Indian Railways has begun operating special festival trains to facilitate passengers' journey home. However, the rush has become so severe that even special trains have become difficult to find. Before Diwali, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav announced the running of 12,000 festival special trains, but due to the increasing demand, more than 13,000 trains have been notified so far.

According to Shashi Kant Tripathi, CPRO of the North Central Railway, 650 festival special trains are being operated in the NCR zone alone, either originating or terminating here. The Delhi-Howrah section is considered the busiest route in the country, with most trains heading to eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

Rail traffic on Prayagraj route is at its peak

According to reports, approximately 5,000 special trains will pass through Prayagraj, of which over 2,400 have already passed through this route. According to the CPRO, 265 regular trains pass through Prayagraj Junction daily, but almost all of them are currently running full.

Passengers' problems and railway preparations

The station is overcrowded with passengers, from general to sleeper coaches. On the Anand Vihar-Kamakhya train, the condition of the sleeper coaches was even worse than the general coaches. Some passengers complained of a lack of water, though railway officials say the overcrowding is straining resources. For security reasons, regular checks are being conducted at Prayagraj station with dog squads and BDS teams, while CCTV cameras are being used to monitor all activities from the control room.

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