RailEnquiry

JAIPUR: With only about a month left for Durga Puja, Navratra and Dussehra, majority of the trains to important destinations including Howrah, Ahmedabad, Varodara and Mumbai have no vacant seats left. Majority of the berths in these trains are booked in advance. In order to accommodate the festival rush, authorities of the north western railways are now planning special trains which are likely to be introduced soon.

People who did not book their tickets in advance are disappointed with the reservation clerks at the ticket booking windows announcing no vacancies in most of the trains.

Since Durga Puja will begin from October 21 and Dussehra on October 24, many passengers have already booked their tickets in advance and most berths in AC I to sleeper classes are fully booked.

According to Jaipur division of the north western railways, the second AC class in the Jodhpur-Howrah route for October 21, the waiting list has reached 45, while it has reached 300 for the sleeper, and for third AC the figure is 125. "There can be no confirmed reservation in two trains to Howarh - Sealdah express and Jodhpur-Howarh express - from Jaipur," said a railway reservation clerk on Saturday.

Likewise, for those who wish to visit Ahmedabad, Varodara and Mumbai to participate in the Navrata festivals are also disappointed as trains to these destinations are fully packed from October 20 to November 20.

"Many people are booking even on waiting list tickets and if the final chart do not confirm their tickets at the time of their journey, many cancellations are expected," an officer said.

Meanwhile, the authorities of the north western railways are in touch with the railway board to start special trains to Howrah, Ahmedabad, Varodara and Mumbai. "We are awaiting for the board's nod. The moment we get permission from them we are planning some trains to these destinations and if we get some extra trains we will also try to introduce festival trains to accommodate the rush from October 20 to November, 20," the officer added.