In order to cope with the huge rush for railway tickets with Deepawali and Chhath pooja approaching, Indian Railways is expected to announce some special trains from Haridwar to Howrah on Saturday.
Thousands are thronging the ticket counters of the Dehradun railway station to have tickets booked to travel home. Some are booking through internets. The railway officials said that the trains to cities like lucknow, Allahabad, Varanasi, Patna, Howrah and Kathgodam are running full now and the situation would remain the same till the first week of November.
Dehradun deputy station master Bipul Nautiyal said that Indian Railways is expected to announce special trains to clear the extra rush of passengers in view of the approaching Deepawali festival. Special trains would depart from Haridwar for Howarh via lucknow, he said, adding that the details would be announced on Saturday.
Nautiyal further said that they are acting on the
proposals sent by the six-member Railways Users Committee, Haridwar, comprising locals, asking for special trains and also for additional coaches in the existing trains.
Another Railway official said that additional coaches are expected to be attached to some trains from Haridwar.
“This is better than running special trains during the festive time. The routes remain congested and it is difficult to find tracks free for the movement of such trains,” he said. .
Meanwhile, the Dehradun Railway station was found on Friday brimming with people who came either to book tickets or to enquire into the status of reservation.
College student Ashok Srivastava, found queuing at the enquiry counter, said that he had failed to book ticket for Allahabad, his home city. “I am disappointed as I long to celebrate Deepawali there. The waiting list is huge. Things are the same with Dehradun-Howrah, Dehradun-Varanasi, Doon Express and Upasana Express,” he said despairingly.
Ashish Singh, another visitor at the railway station, said that he had come to enquire into the special trains being arranged by the railway for the festival season. “I would love to go to lucknow, my home city, along with my family to celebrate Deepawali there. I managed a ticket for Janata express for October 28 through internet. However, the ticket shows that our number is 120 and more in the waiting list. We hope that additional coaches would be attached to the train. This would enable us to get the berths,” he said.
A private college student Umesh Jha said that his destination was Patna, his home city. “I did not book tickets as my number was 150 in the waiting list. However, I would go for a Tatkal ticket a day before the journey. I learnt from the counter that the trains to Patna would run full from October 25 to November 5. But somehow, I must reach Patna where I would celebrate both Deepawali and Chhath festivals. Tatkal ticket is my last hope unless the railway arranges alternatives,” he said.