Though it was Ashtami, the important day of Navratri on Saturday, huge rush was witnessed at railways stations and bus stands of the State capital even on this day of the festive season apart from the pandals. Both Private and Public Organisation offices would remain closed from October 13-14 and it was because of this reason the rush was prominent at these travelling junctions.
A railway staff informed that the crowd would be more on Monday when people would be returning back to Ranchi for work. Travel agencies booking rail tickets are also facing difficulties in managing their client tickets in this month. “Most of the train tickets are going in waiting list. That too above 100 waiting list. This situation happens almost every year. So, we tell the clients to book tickets one to one and half months earlier so that their journey does not remain in doubtful status,” said a travel agent of Regency Tour and Travels of Roshpa Tower. Adding more to this rush a bus agent said, “Since there would be less number of buses on Sunday and Monday due to Navami and Dashami, passengers are more in our buses today running outside and within the State.”
Most of the private firms of Jharkhand would remain closed on Sunday and Monday. Due to this reason, many professionals like salesman and medical representatives from outside the state capital were seen catching the last minute bus leaving for Jamshedpur, Bokaro, Dhanbad, Hazaribagh, Palamau, Deoghar and Godda. Noticing the train rush many other private professionals tried their luck to accommodate in buses running outside the state such as for Kolkata, Patna, Varanasi and Muzaffarpur.
Despite the heavy rain, passengers at railway stations and bus stands did not loose hope of getting tickets but there were many who preferred to miss their train or bus in order to ignore the rush and end with an argument with co-passengers for this reason. “I wanted to be with my parents, this festive season so have applied for the ticket a month ago. Unfortunately, my ticket is not yet confirmed for my hometown Patna. So, I thought of cancelling it this time,” said a college student at Ranchi Railway Station. At Khadgara and State bus stand of station road too, many were seen standing in the bus. A senior citizen said, “I did not get a ticket for Bokaro but need to reach to there anyhow by evening. My family is eagerly waiting for my presence. It is better to stand and travel rather than miss a bus for not getting a ticket.”