With the approach of the Diwali and Chhath festivals, there is a massive influx of people at major city railway stations across the country as they return home. People working in metropolises such as Delhi, Mumbai, and Gujarat are heading to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to celebrate the festivals with their families. However, this desire to reach home turns into a difficult ordeal for travelers.
In the ordinary compartments of regular trains traveling from Delhi and Mumbai towards UP-Bihar, there is simply not enough space to put one's foot down. The situation is so severe that many passengers have to travel by clinging to the doors.
Similar scenes of overcrowding were observed at one of the busiest stations on the Delhi-Howrah line—Pandit Dindayal Upadhyay Junction station. Trains arriving here are packed with passengers. Given the growing pressure during the festive period, the railway has intensified security measures and crowd control at the station, involving personnel from GRP and RPF, as well as commercial department staff.
Photographs of the Purushottam Express train arriving at Pandit Dindayal Upadhyay Junction station demonstrate the dire condition of the passengers. This train, which travels from Anand Vihar via Kanpur, Prayagraj, Pandit Dindayal Upadhyay Junction, and Gaya to Puri, was initially overcrowded. The situation in the general compartments was particularly critical. Passengers standing on the platform had to exert great effort just to board the train.
Pintyu Kumar, traveling from Bhusawal to Gaya, told 'AajTak' that all trains are severely overloaded. Since there was no direct train from Bhusawal to Gaya, he had to travel on another train. He noted that when boarding the compartment, there were so many people that there was no room to stand, and he reached Pandit Dindayal Upadhyay Junction while standing.
Vijay Kumar, traveling from Alipur to Gaya, is also returning home for Diwali and Chhath Puja and reported serious discomfort due to the crowds. Sandeep Kumar, traveling from Jaipur to Gaya, shared that he managed to reach his destination by clinging to the door.
Guru Prasad, traveling from Delhi to Gaya on the Purushottam Express, described the conditions inside the train. He stated that he is traveling while standing in the compartment and confirmed that there is still no legroom. He emphasized that although traveling while clinging to the door is dangerous, passengers have no other choice.
Guru Prasad also mentioned problems with obtaining tickets for urgent journeys and difficulties in planning trips in advance. According to him, it was hard to decide two months beforehand whether he could go home for the festivals. Although the railway launched special trains, they are insufficient compared to the number of passengers. He added that if there were adequate measures, people would not have to risk themselves in this manner.
Vivek Kumar expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of basic amenities on the train. He reported that due to the excessive crowd, it is difficult to even reach the toilet. There is a shortage of water, and due to the dirt, visiting it becomes difficult. Furthermore, due to the crush, passengers find it hard to breathe.
Rahul Kumar, traveling on the same train from Anand Vihar to Gaya, said that he also had to stand initially but later managed to find a spot. He also complained about the lack of water in the toilet. Shambhu Yadav appealed to the government to increase the number of general compartments on trains during the holidays.
A similar picture of overcrowding was observed on an express train traveling from Mumbai via Balgapur to Godda, departing from Lokmanya Tilak Terminus. When this train arrived at Pandit Dindayal Upadhyay Junction station, its general compartments were also overcrowded. The situation was so bad that some passengers constructed a fabric hammock in the carriage gallery to sleep on at night. Many people were also seen traveling while clinging to the doors.
Vikas Kumar, who arrived from Mumbai, reported that due to the crowd, he could not find a place and is traveling by clinging to the door. Sudhir, another passenger, said that due to the lack of space, he has to sit while clinging to the door, describing the experience as extremely unpleasant.
Overall, as every year, passengers returning to UP-Bihar for Diwali and Chhath Puja face severe overcrowding on trains. Although the railway has organized hundreds of special trains for the holidays, the pressure from passengers on regular trains remains evident.
