RailEnquiry

Vacation plans, and not files and deadlines, were the buzzword at workstations in government offices and staff rooms in schools on Thursday in the run-up to a welcome break from work for a week. A day before the puja vacation begins, government employees, teachers, advocates and judges were busy giving final shape to their plans to unwind. "This year, the vacation is quite long, almost around a week. The festive mood has gripped one and all. I will spend the vacation in Saharsa with my family," said Harishankar, an urban development department officer. The mood among the advocates and judges at the high court was similar, as their 12-day vacation will start tomorrow (Friday). "Thursday was a calm day in court. Most advocates were looking forward to postpone hearings of cases till the court reopens," said Ravi Parmar, a lawyer. Students and teachers at schools across the state capital were also eager to make the most of the holiday. Most institutions are closing either on Friday or Saturday. "The vacation starts from Saturday and will continue till October 28. Most students have planned trips. But the Class XII students would be busy preparing for their second-term examination beginning from November 26," said B.P. Roy, who teaches commerce at St Michael's High School. The festive mood at the school was augmented by an inter-house drama competition, in which senior students participated, amid discussion of the vacation plans. Railway sources said there was a heavy rush for train tickets. "There is almost no room on Patna-bound trains from Delhi and Mumbai for the next few days. Several people from Bihar working in other parts of the country are returning home. The demand for return tickets is equally high," said Amitabh Prabhakar, the central public relations officer of East Central Railway.