With the festival of colours Holi round the corner, the Bihar-bound trains and buses from the city are witnessing heavy rush and getting a confirmed ticket is a tiresome job.
According to information from the reservation centre at Tatanagar Railway Station, all the major Bihar-bound trains — Tata-Chhapra Express, Tata-Danapur Express and Tata-Patna South Bihar Express — are witnessing a heavy rush. The waiting list has crossed 100 marks. Moreover, there is no availability till March 10. The rush is expected to remain till Holi, which falls on March 2.
Meanwhile, South Eastern Railway has decided to run one pair of Holi special between Santragachi and Darbhanga. With a view to clear extra rush of passengers during Holi Festival, South Eastern Railway has decided to run one pair of Holi Special train between Santragachi-Darbhanga-Santragachi on February 28 from Santragachi and on March 1 from Darbhanga.
The Special Train (08021) leaving Santragachi on 28.02.18 (Wednesday) at 15:40 hrs will reach Darbhanga at 11:30 hrs, the next day. In the return direction, the Special Train (08022) will leave Darbhanga on 01.03.18 (Thursday) at 13:50 hrs arriving Santragachi at 11.00 hrs, the next day.
The Special train consisting of one AC 2 Tier, two AC 3 Tier, eight Sleeper Class and four general second class coaches will have stoppages at Kharagpur, Tatanagar, Muri, Bokaro Steel City, Chandrapura, Gomoh, Dhanbad, Chittaranjan, Madhupur, Jasidih, Jhajha, Kiul, Barauni and Samastipur between Santragachi and Darbhanga.However, trains like -Purushottam Superfast Express, Neelanchal Express and other long-distance trains that travel via Bihar are also facing similar situation. Workers hailing from Bihar tend to visit their native village during Holi that leads to the rush.
“like every year this time too, the trains traveling to Bihar are witnessing rush. It is that time of the year when people like to visit their native place for celebrating Holi. We have requested the South Eastern Railway to provide extra coaches in Bihar bound trains to ease the rush,” said U K Srivastava senior functionary of the Chotanagpur Passenger Association. He added that the railway administration should also plan at least two to three trains like they do during other festivals.
Meanwhile, an official informed that some of the trains will get extra coaches. “This year, too, we have requested the Garden Reach headquarters of South Eastern Railway to provide extra coaches in Bihar-bound trains,” he said.