Faridabad local trains heading towards Delhi and Ghaziabad are witnessing severe overcrowding ahead of the Chhath festival, with passengers facing pushing and jostling at Ballabhgarh, New Town and Old Faridabad railway stations. The pressure is particularly high on trains connecting passengers to New Delhi, Old Delhi and Anand Vihar, from where many travellers are expected to board trains for Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh.
The crowd has increased as people from Bihar and Purvanchal living in Faridabad and Ballabhgarh prepare to travel home after Diwali for Chhath celebrations. According to labour leader Bechu Giri, Bhojpuri Awadhi Samaj president Ramakant Tiwari and Purvi Seva Samiti president Sunil Kumar, more than seven lakh migrants from Bihar and Purvanchal live in the Faridabad-Ballabhgarh area. Their travel demand is being added to the regular daily commuter load on the suburban rail network.
The report said the rush is most visible during the morning and evening peak periods, when passengers gather at the three stations to board shuttle services. In several instances, commuters reportedly find no space even to place a foot inside the train. Passengers who cannot board because of the crowd are being forced to wait for the next service.
A key operational difficulty is the short halt time at the stations. Shuttle trains reportedly stop for only about one minute at Ballabhgarh, New Town and Old Faridabad. As soon as a train reaches the platform, passengers waiting to board move towards the doors, while people already inside struggle to exit. The resulting conflict at the doorways is creating particular difficulties for older people, women and children.
The Palwal-Ghaziabad and Palwal-Shakur Basti shuttles, numbered 64057 and 64013, are reported to be among the most crowded services. These trains operate in the afternoon and are being used by many Chhath travellers to reach New Delhi, Old Delhi and Anand Vihar stations for onward journeys. The additional transfer demand is increasing pressure inside the local trains, with some passengers travelling while standing at the gates.
Railway officials have advised passengers to travel cautiously and not attempt to board or alight from a moving train. They have also asked commuters to avoid rushing while entering or leaving trains and to take special care of mobile phones, wallets and other valuables during the overcrowded period. The immediate safety challenge remains concentrated at the station platforms and train doorways, where the short halt and high passenger demand are colliding during the festival travel period.
