In spite of the Railways running special trains to accommodate the festive rush, Jalandhar saw a decline in the number of migrant commuters travelling to their home states for Chhath puja this year, railway officials remarked.
According to officers, close to 29,000 travellers used to travel from Jalandhar ahead of Chhath puja in prior years. Yet, this year, the footfall has stayed between 24,000 and 25,000.
Explaining the decline, officers said overcrowding at railway stations has been a recurring worry during the festive season. In previous years, videos showing passengers breaking train doors and forcing their way into packed coaches had circulated widely on social media, highlighting the difficulties faced by passengers during the celebration rush.
Officers said many passengers chose to board trains from Amritsar, Beas and Ludhiana this year, as most special trains originated from these stations. By the time the trains reached the Jalandhar city railway station, they were already packed. Consequently, many commuters travelled to these stations in an attempt to avoid overcrowding and possible altercations.
Apart from the shift in boarding points, officials noted another reason for the lower turnout was that an increasing number of migrants were opting to celebrate Chhath puja in Jalandhar instead of travelling to their native states.
Given the sizeable migrant population residing in the city, the district administration has prepared 20 ghats across Jalandhar to make sure a safe and convenient environment for devotees.
Pramod Kumar Yadav, a senior member of the Purvanchal Vikas Mahasabha, had stated that approximately 2.5 lakh to 3 lakh members of the migrant community were anticipated to celebrate Chhath puja in Jalandhar this year.
In the meantime, the Ferozepur Division of Northern Railway has announced several special trains connecting Punjab with cities in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar for migrants travelling home ahead of the celebration.
