East Central Railway takes steps to handle Chhath rush

PATNA: East Central Railway (ECR) general manager Anupam Sharma held a videoconference with senior officials on Sunday to review preparedness of the railways to cope with huge rush of passengers during Chhath.
ECR chief public relations officer Rajesh Kumar said the GM directed railway officials and DRMs to ensure free movement of passengers within railway premises during peak hours. The GM also suggested the railway officials to use “holding area” recently developed outside each major station, including Patna Junction, to contain rush of passengers.
Keeping in view devotees’ safety, the GM has asked the railway officials to take extra precaution at the locations where devotees converge in large numbers to offer ‘arghya’ in rivers and ponds located nearby railway tracks. Besides, 50 scouts have been deployed at all major stations of the Danapur division to guide passengers on railway platforms.
According to CPRO, the railways has set up medical assistance kiosks at the crowded stations, including Patna Junction and Rajendra Nagar Terminal.
Mishap averted: A pickup van came under the wheels of the Patna-Barkakana special passenger train (03348) between Nadwan and Taregna stations on Patna-Gaya section of the Danapur division of East Central Railway around 8.40pm on Sunday. There was, however, no report of any casualty or injury as the driver of the train applied emergency brake to avert a major mishap.