Patna: After the Chhath festival ended, the rush of passengers leaving Bihar has created chaos at major railway stations in Patna. On Friday, Patna Junction, Rajendranagar Terminal, and Danapur stations were packed with people trying to return to other states. Most trains were running far beyond their capacity. The situation became so serious that the Railway Protection Force (RPF) had to step in. More than 50 passengers were removed from overcrowded trains like the Sampoorna Kranti Express, Patna-Kota Express, and Punjab Mail. Railway officials said the passengers were advised to take special trains that were arranged to handle the festive crowd.
The crowd was so heavy that passengers were seen entering the coaches through windows and even hanging on to the sides of trains. Trains going to Delhi and Punjab were especially overcrowded. When the Punjab Mail and Brahmaputra Mail reached platform number four, people rushed from both sides of the tracks to get inside the train. In the unreserved compartments, passengers could hardly move. Some even tried to climb out through the windows to escape the crush. Seeing the situation worsen, passengers inside the trains opened emergency windows to pull others to safety. The platform turned into a scene of panic and chaos, with people running around in confusion.
Adding to the problem, the Sampoorna Kranti Express faced another technical issue for the fourth day in a row. One of its coach doors was locked, leaving passengers stranded outside. As the train stopped at the platform, frustrated travellers began banging on the door. Later, RPF and railway staff managed to open it and allow passengers to enter. Meanwhile, rainwater had flooded all four holding areas at Patna Junction and Rajendranagar Terminal. Passengers who were waiting there had to move to the platforms, sitting on the wet floors with their luggage as they waited for their trains.
On Friday alone, more than a dozen special trains were operated from Patna, Rajendranagar, and Danapur stations. These included the Howrah-Haridwar Express, Brahmaputra Mail, Shramjeevi Express, Sampoorna Kranti Express, and Patna-Kota Express. Even with these extra services, the rush remained uncontrolled. Additional police forces were deployed to maintain order, but passengers said that there were no proper arrangements for boarding or exiting the trains. Many complained that though security was visible, there was no proper system to guide the crowd. The railway administration said it was doing its best to manage the huge rush, but for many passengers, Friday’s experience turned into a long, exhausting struggle just to get a seat home.
