Nagpur passengers want Gondia-Patna Chhath special to start from Itwari instead

To handle the extra rush of passengers during Diwali and Chhath and to help them get confirmed berths, South East Central Railway has announced Puja Special trains 08895/08896 between Gondia and Patna. The train will run for three trips each way. Passengers in Nagpur and nearby areas are now demanding that it be run from Itwari instead of Gondia.

According to the railway's announcement, train 08895 Gondia-Patna Special will leave Gondia every Friday from November 6 to 20. On the return, train 08896 Patna-Gondia Special will run from Patna every Saturday from November 7 to 21. Meanwhile, the demand is growing that this train, which starts at Gondia, be extended and operated from Itwari.

As per the current timetable, the train will originate at Gondia. Gondia is a comparatively small junction. People from districts such as Nagpur, Amravati and Wardha who want to travel to Bihar will therefore first have to travel to Gondia to catch this train, costing them time and extra money.

Those making the demand say that if the railway changes the train's originating station to Itwari, it will bring relief to a very large part of Vidarbha and to the thousands of migrants living here. The number of passengers going home for Chhath Puja, counted among the biggest festivals of the year, will rise manifold.

Nagpur is the largest city in central India. Thousands of people from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand live here for study, jobs and business. All of them want to go home for Diwali and Chhath Puja. If the train runs from Itwari, they will get a direct train with confirmed seats from Nagpur itself.

If the Puja Special runs from Itwari instead of Gondia, thousands of passengers at important stations along its route will also get a direct service. For this reason, people in Nagpur and Itwari want the railway to consider the demand and change the train's originating station.