Ara: Travelling from Bihar to Kolkata will soon be easier as the Patna–Kolkata Garib Rath will now start from Ara Junction instead of Patna. This is a major change for thousands of passengers who board this train every week. People from Ara, Buxar and parts of eastern Uttar Pradesh will benefit the most from this decision because they will not have to travel to Patna first to catch the train.
Railways have also given this train new numbers and fixed new timings. The train, which was earlier numbered 12359/12360, will now run as 13127/13128. The service will be available three days a week — Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. The Ara–Patna–Kolkata Garib Rath will leave Ara at 6.30 pm, stop at Danapur at 7.18 pm, reach Patna Junction at 7.55 pm, and then leave for Kolkata at 8.05 pm. It will reach Kolkata at 5.30 am the next morning. In the opposite direction, the train will leave Kolkata at 8.05 pm, reach Patna at 6.05 am, and finally reach Ara at 7.45 am.
This change did not happen overnight. The Ara Junction Railfan Club, a group of regular passengers, had been asking for this extension for a long time. They met MP Sudama Prasad and railway officials and submitted a memorandum to request this change. Their demand was finally approved, which has made passengers very happy. Railways said this decision will not only give comfort to passengers but also reduce the crowd at Patna Junction.
The timing of this decision is very important because the festival season is about to begin. During Dussehra, Diwali and Chhath Puja, trains get overcrowded and waiting lists become very long. Many passengers even fail to get tickets. With the Garib Rath now starting from Ara, there will be less rush and more seats available for people. For many families, this is being seen as a festive gift from the Railways.
