Ahead of the Chhath festivities, Delhi bus stands and railway stations are clogged again, with hundreds vying to board already jam-packed buses and trains to return to their families in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand.
Many of them have been struggling to reserve a ticket, and some even boarding buses and trains without one. For some, trains are even running behind schedule.
Newslaundry found people settling on floor and near toilets in trains, while social media videos showed many hanging on to the train doors to reach their native place. Notably, the government is running 42 Chhath special trains.
But people said that despite the commotion being a common sight ahead of Chhath every year, the transport facilities have been “barely updated” to accommodate this surge in demand. “There is no hope, no facilities...I have left it to God,” said a passenger, who couldn't board the train because of the crowd, despite reserving a ticket three months in advance.
Why are common people compelled to take risks? What are the difficulties they face? What are their expectations from governments and authorities? Have they seen any improvement over the years?
Watch.
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