"Special trains are here, but ticket issues persist": Commuters on Diwali, Chhath travel arrangements

Patna (Bihar) [India], November 1 (ANI): Indian Railways has made special arrangements for commuters travelling home for festivals, including Diwali and Chhath Puja. To manage the increased crowds at railway stations, special trains have been announced.
Commuters, on Friday, shared their experiences, noting an improvement in the government's preparations for the festive season.
"The government is making an effort and trying to do its job. However, if the number of people is too large, what can the government do?" said Jairam Singh, a commuter.
"The arrangements made by the government for commuters are satisfactory. It's a bit late, but it has worked out. We are travelling on the Lokmanya Tilak Express to Guwahati, and there's no issue with the special train arrangements. There is definite improvement in the service, though there are some delays due to the festive rush," said Rajeev, another commuter.

"The government has started special trains, but the situation remains largely the same as before. Ticket availability is always an issue--we never seem to get one. However, sanitation in trains has improved. Ever since the government disallowed travel on waitlisted tickets, we've faced more difficulties. While improvements are visible, the ticket issue persists," said another commuter.
Earlier, Indian Railways announced it would run 164 special trains to ensure people reach their destinations in time for Diwali and Chhath. According to Dilip Kumar, Executive Director of Information and Publicity for the Railway Board, these trains will operate across the country, including routes from Secunderabad, Ahmedabad, Kottayam, Ujjain, Bhopal, New Delhi, and Nagpur to Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
Similarly, Eastern Railway's Chief Public Relations Officer, Kaushik Mitra, informed that they will operate 50 special trains and provide 400 additional services for Diwali and Chhath Puja. The number of special trains has increased from 33 to 50 this year, he added.
"We are also providing 400 additional services to ensure passengers do not face any difficulties. We've included more general coaches this time," Mitra said. (ANI)