Patna: Railway passengers planning to return to Bihar for Chhath are facing a severe shortage of reserved seats, with around 70,000 passengers currently holding waitlisted tickets on trains serving the Delhi-Mumbai routes.
Around 300,000 passengers are expected to travel from Delhi and Mumbai to Bihar for the festival. Railway capacity is expected to come under further pressure as more people book journeys for both the trip to Bihar and the return journey after Chhath.
Regular Trains Fill Up Quickly
Passengers began booking their Chhath journeys as soon as reservations opened 60 days in advance. Several regular trains on the Delhi-Bihar routes reached full occupancy soon after bookings opened.
The situation has left many passengers with limited options, particularly those planning to reach Bihar about a week before the festival.
More Than 125 Additional Trains Needed
According to available estimates, the Railways may need to operate more than 125 additional trains to accommodate the seasonal passenger rush.
The demand is particularly high on routes connecting Delhi with Patna, Gaya, Muzaffarpur, Bhagalpur and other Bihar destinations.
Around 62 trains operate between Bihar and the Delhi-Mumbai sector, with about 48 to 50 running daily. Each train has reservation capacity for roughly 1,200 passengers, but the additional Chhath demand is putting significant pressure on available berths.
Several Major Trains Show No Availability
Reservation data for several trains shows limited or no availability during the peak travel period. The Sampoorna Kranti Express has no available seats between November 12 and 15.
The Amrit Bharat Express has no availability on November 10 and 15, while waiting-list status applies on subsequent dates. The 15657 Brahmaputra Mail is also reported to have no available seats.
The 12488 Seemanchal Express has no tickets available until November 16. Train 12368 has no availability until November 15, while the 22406 Garib Rath Express has no seats available for November 14.
Return Journeys Also Face Pressure
The shortage is not limited to passengers travelling to Bihar. Those planning to return to Delhi and Mumbai after Chhath are also facing limited availability.
The 15483 Mahananda Express has no tickets available until November 18. Similar shortages have been reported on the 15743 Farakka Express, Brahmaputra Mail and 12367 Vikramshila Express, with reservations unavailable on several dates until November 16.
Heavy Demand On Patna-Delhi Route
Around 32 trains operate between Patna Junction and Delhi, carrying approximately 60,000 passengers a day.
For journeys between November 12 and 15, reservations have reportedly reached around 4.03 lakh to 4.20 lakh passengers. About 70,000 passengers have purchased waitlisted tickets within a week, highlighting the scale of demand.
For migrant workers and middle-class employees living in Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Faridabad and Gurugram, trains remain an important and relatively affordable option for travelling home during Chhath.
With regular services already heavily booked, passengers are now awaiting the Railways’ decision on additional trains to meet the festival-season demand.
