Odisha: Mad scramble for train tickets amid festive rush

BHUBANESWAR: The waiting list on trains coming to the state and going out is increasing with people returning home to celebrate Durga Puja and Dussehra with family and friends and many planning to go on holidays.
All trains running from south and west to the eastern part of the country are witnessing heavy crowds due to Durga Puja rush. The general compartments as well as sleeper and AC coaches on most trains are jam-packed.
Popular trains including Coromandel Express, Howrah-Chennai Superfast Express, Bhubaneswar-Bengaluru Prashanti Express, Bhubaneswar-Mumbai Konark Express, Puri-Ahmedabad Express, Puri-New Delhi Purushottam Express, Puri-Anand Vihar Terminal Nandankanan Express, Hirakud Express and Rajdhani Express trains have long waiting lists.
Tickets are not available in most of the trains till October 15. Howrah-bound trains are the most crowded. As Kolkata and other cities of West Bengal organise grand pujas for several days, apart from Bengalis, people from neighbouring states visit Bengal for the experience.
Durga Puja holidays of the Odisha government will be from October 3 to 5. Since October 2 is a holiday, state government employees will get four days of break. Even people working in private organisations take leave during this period for vacation outside their city and state.
“My son stays in Chennai and my family wants to go there for vacation. My AC-3 tier tickets for September 30 on Howrah-Chennai Superfast Express are yet to be confirmed. There are no tickets for available for sleeper coaches. The pre-Covid rush is back,” said Chitrasen Palai, a resident of Bhubaneswar.
A railway official said most people had not gone outside the state during the last two years because of Covid.
“Now the number of Covid cases has come down and people are planning to go out during their holidays. Another reason is that airfare has increased and many middle class people cannot flight travel. Train journeys are cheaper and convenient for them,” he added.
East Coast Railway (ECoR) has started running some special trains and attached additional coaches in some trains keeping the heavy rush in mind. It may run some more special trains to tackle the puja rush.