To ease travel for devotees during the Chhath festival, the railways announced two special trains on Sunday, connecting Ranchi with Ajmer and Ara. The 09620 Ranchi-Ajmer Special will depart from Ranchi at 9:15 am on Sunday and reach Ajmer at 6:35 pm the following day, while the 08640 Ranchi-Ara Special will leave Ranchi at 8:45 pm on Sunday, arriving in Ara at 9:15 am the next day.
Railway officials said the operation of these festival special trains comes as a relief for passengers, as regular trains have become extremely crowded due to the surge in travellers heading to Bihar and Rajasthan for Chhath.
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On Saturday, the Ranchi railway station witnessed massive crowds. By 1:30 pm, all platforms were packed, and passengers filled the stairways leading to the platforms. Trains such as the Ranchi-Sasaram passenger and Maurya Express were overcrowded several times beyond capacity, with some passengers even occupying the parcel coach due to a lack of space. Many others went to Hatia station early to secure a seat.
The Railway Protection Force (RPF) worked tirelessly to manage the crowd, forming queues on platforms, assisting elderly and female passengers, and ensuring safe boarding. Senior citizens were escorted between platforms and helped with stairs.
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However, due to limited information, many passengers were unaware of the special trains, resulting in the Ranchi-Gorakhpur special departing almost empty, while regular trains remained overcrowded.
Railway officials advised passengers not to stand in doorways or between coaches and noted that additional RPF personnel have been deployed to maintain order amid the festival rush.
The railways emphasised that these measures aim to ensure safe and convenient travel for all Chhath devotees.