Migrants heading to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to celebrate Diwali and Chhath with family have encountered serious difficulties. A huge number of passengers gathered at the Udhana railway station in Surat, Gujarat state. The situation is so tense that people have to stand in long queues for six to eight hours just to get a ticket or a seat on the train, with no guarantee of securing a confirmed spot.
There is severe crowding at the station as passengers try to board arriving trains, leading to falls. The most critical situation has developed in the general compartments. Passengers claim that carriages designed for approximately 120 people are accommodating between 500 and 600 people. Under these conditions, there is not even room to put one's foot down, forcing people to travel hundreds of kilometers standing up.
Passengers note that the number of people traveling from Surat to UP and Bihar during Diwali and Chhath increases every year, but the railway infrastructure cannot cope with such a flow. People, hoping to meet their families during the holidays, wait for hours at the station, unsure if they will reach their hometowns in time.
Sachin Rajbhar, who was traveling to Banaras (Uttar Pradesh), reported that he arrived at the station the evening before, around 6:00-7:00 PM, and has been in line ever since without receiving a ticket. He noted the lack of adequate arrangements for traveling home. Sachin emphasized that after years of hard labor, if he cannot reach his family by the festival, what is the point of his work.
He accused them of shoving passengers into trains like cattle and transporting them in poorly organized carriages, resulting in many falling. According to Sachin, some people who fell returned to the queue but still could not find a place to travel to Banaras. He is worried whether they will be able to reach home by Diwali at all.
Another passenger, Satyam Tiwari, said he has been standing at the station from noon until three in the afternoon. The train that was supposed to take him has already left, and now he has to wait for the next service. He added that after Diwali comes Chhath, and thousands of people are in a difficult situation trying to reach their homes. Furthermore, the station lacks sufficient amenities for passengers.
Satyam Tiwari also raised the issue of the shortage of drinking water at the station, addressing the railway administration about measures to solve the problems of thousands of suffering passengers. He needs to reach Banaras, but uncertainty remains regarding whether there will be a seat on the next train.
Dharmand Kumar, traveling to Danapur, reported that he has been waiting in line since 3 AM. The train to Danapur has already departed, and now he has to wait for the next train to Balgapura, although there is no information about seat availability. Dharmand noted that standing for many hours causes leg pain, and the station also lacks sufficient facilities. Since the next day is Diwali, he is concerned whether he will make it home in time to celebrate the festival with his family.
On the other hand, an official spokesperson for Western Railway, Anubhav Saxena, stated that passenger comfort is a priority for the railway. He clarified that due to the increase in passenger traffic during Diwali and Chhath, special transport is being provided in addition to regular trains. According to him, 10 trains are scheduled for Saturday for passengers traveling to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Six of them have already departed, and four more are yet to leave. These 10 trains include three regular and seven special services, two of which are destined for Jainagar. The railway official stated that more than 15,000 passengers have already departed. Additional trains will be organized as the number of passengers increases.
Anubhav Saxena also reported that Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel are deployed at the station to control crowds, helping passengers move towards the carriages in an orderly manner. Additionally, commercial staff and counters are operating actively. Special counters, seating areas, and drinking water are available at the customer service center. The railway asserts that all necessary measures have been taken to ensure passenger safety and convenience.
Despite the railway administration's statements about launching additional special trains and providing amenities, the passengers' problems at the station cast doubt on the effectiveness of these measures. Every year during Diwali and Chhath from Surat to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar...
