Bhubaneswar: Ganjam resident Pintu Nahak, who works in Gujarat, is worried about whether he will be able to reach home for Dussehra, despite booking a train ticket a month in advance.“Last month, I booked a ticket from Bharuch in Gujarat to Berhampur for Oct 15, but it is yet to be confirmed. I don’t know how I will reach home before Dussehra,” says Nahak.With Durga Puja holidays approaching, long-distance trains passing through Odisha are running packed, leaving many passengers struggling to secure confirmed berths.Railway reservation charts show long waiting lists on several key routes as thousands of people head home for the festive season or plan holiday travel. The rush has intensified with the Puja break coinciding with a weekend, pushing up demand for trains connecting Odisha with Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Bengaluru. Popular trains such as the Bhubaneswar-Bengaluru Prashanti Express, Howrah-M.G.R Chennai Central Mail, Bhubaneswar-Mumbai Konark Express, Delhi-bound Purushottam Express, Nandankanan Superfast Express and Tejas Rajdhani, along with several Howrah-bound trains, have no confirmed tickets available for several dates over the next month.Passengers attempting last-minute bookings say they are finding only waitlisted tickets on most major trains, forcing many to alter plans or consider alternative modes of transport.Many say air travel is too expensive, particularly for families. “We cannot afford flight tickets for the entire family to Delhi. So, we booked seven train tickets as we had time, but none have been confirmed yet. We are scheduled to travel on Oct 18. If the tickets are not confirmed, we may have to cancel the trip,” says Kanhei Puhan, a resident of Nayapalli in Bhubaneswar.Railway officials said additional coaches and berths are being added to select long-distance trains to manage the seasonal rush. Demand on busy routes is being monitored, and efforts are being made to maximise carrying capacity wherever operationally feasible. ”The railways are running 15 special trains passing through Odisha to meet passengers’ demand. Extra coaches have been added to 22 trains. Keeping the rush in mind, we will run more Puja specials in the coming days,” says an East Coast Railway spokesperson.The festive season usually records one of the highest passenger movements of the year, with students, migrant workers and professionals returning home to celebrate Durga Puja with their families. Tourist destinations are also seeing higher bookings as many travellers combine the festival holidays with leisure trips.
