Heavy Diwali rush at Nagpur station, trains to north India run beyond capacity

The number of passengers travelling to their villages and homes for Diwali has risen, and Nagpur railway station is heavily crowded as a result. Regular trains heading towards north India are carrying more passengers than their capacity.

The railway administration says special trains have been started. Even so, passengers' difficulties have not eased in reality. Crowded platforms, jostling to board coaches and a thin presence of security personnel are causing passengers considerable hardship.

Trains towards cities such as Gorakhpur, Delhi, Lucknow and Patna are extremely crowded. The condition of the general and sleeper coaches is particularly bad. As soon as a train arrives at the platform, passengers scramble to get into the coaches.

Carrying luggage and large bags, passengers have to struggle to get in through the doors. With coaches already over capacity, there is no room even to stand. Conditions have not changed much even after special trains were announced, and questions are being raised about the railways' plan.

Despite the crowd at the station, the presence of the staff responsible for security does not appear effective. Not enough security personnel are visible near the north-bound trains to control the crowd, raising the question of passenger safety.

Given the jostling while boarding and the crowd at the doors, the possibility of an accident cannot be ruled out. Questions are being asked about who would be responsible if one happened. Passengers feel that extra security personnel should be deployed on platforms on crowded days and that passengers should be made to board coaches in an orderly manner, but this is not being attended to.

Even after booking reserved tickets many days in advance, passengers have to struggle hard to reach their berths. Unreserved passengers crowding the sleeper coaches are causing trouble for reserved passengers too. The situation in AC coaches is not very different. Some passengers are having to travel sitting on the floor in the space near the toilets.

Coach aisles and the passages leading to the toilets are also packed with passengers. Women, small children and the elderly are the worst affected. The crowding has also raised questions about the safety and privacy of women. For passengers who set out happy to be reaching home, the journey has become distressing, marked by discomfort, restlessness and jostling.