JAIPUR: There was an enormous
rush at the
Jaipur junction railway station on Saturday morning, that continued till very late in the evening. Similar scenes were witnessed at the central bus stand and at Narayan Singh Circle, where people in large numbers were seen waiting for buses, on the eve of
Raksha Bandhan. Arrangements by the north western railways (NWR), like introducing augmentations in various trains, appeared inadequate.
The Aashram Express, Jaisalmer-Delhi or Jaipur-Delhi double decker — all these trains were packed to full capacity. The general class of the wagons of Aashram Express and the Jaisalmer-Delhi train, were also jam-packed. “24 trains are being operated to meet the
Raksha Bandhan rush, while we have introduced 40 augmentations in 38 trains. All this is likely to continue for a week at least,” said
Tarun Jain, chief public relations officer, north western railways (NWR), on Saturday.
The rush was so acute at the Jaipur railway station at 6.00 am, that many passengers could not even buy a general-class ticket. “I am ready to pay the penalty on board, as it is a must for me to visit my brother in Alwar,” said Kanta Agarwal, a housewife, who could just make it to somehow find place in the Aashram express, early in the morning.
Many passengers with a waiting-list ticket, also boarded various trains, despite having to pay a penalty. Likewise, at the central bus stand and polo victory area, majority of the buses were packed to capacity. In the afternoon, at some places, including Narayan Singh Circle, police had to intervene to bring people down from the top of the buses and to get them inside the buses. “Majority of our super luxury, luxury, semi-delux and ordinary buses, to Delhi, Ajmer, Udaipur, Bhilwara, Jodhpur and to other states, were packed,” said an officer with the operations of the RSRTC buses, at the central bus stand.
A similar rush is expected on the evening of Raksha Bandhan, as it is a Sunday, and the people will have to return by evening.
Enormous rush at the Jaipur junction railway station on Saturday morning
