Chhath Bihar Travel Crisis : Millions of migrant workers preparing to return to Bihar for Diwali and Chhath are facing a major travel crisis this year. Getting seats on regular trains from Delhi, Mumbai, Gujarat and cities in South India has become extremely difficult. Several trains have long waiting lists, while fresh bookings have closed for certain dates. Meanwhile, airfares have climbed to between Rs 25,000 and Rs 35,000. Travelling by bus is also not easy. As a result, families returning home are struggling to balance their travel budgets and schedules.

Train Ticket Availability Has Nearly Disappeared
Trains such as the Sampoorna Kranti Express, Tejas Rajdhani, Magadh Express and Amrit Bharat Express operating from Delhi to Bihar are facing severe seat shortages around the festive period. The Tejas Rajdhani travelling from New Delhi to Rajendra Nagar showed a regret status for bookings between November 5 and 7. Seats were also unavailable on the Magadh Express on these dates. The Amrit Bharat Express running from Anand Vihar to Darbhanga has a long waiting list in the sleeper class. A similar situation has been reported on the LTT-Rajgir Express from Mumbai between November 5 and 10. Getting tickets on the LTT-Bhagalpur Express is also difficult on several dates.

Flight Fares Are Beyond Ordinary Budgets
With train tickets unavailable, air travel remains an option, but fares have also increased significantly. One-way tickets on flights from Mumbai and Bengaluru to Patna and Darbhanga have reached Rs 25,000 to Rs 26,000. On some dates closer to Chhath, fares are showing prices exceeding Rs 35,000. Flights from Ahmedabad and other cities in Gujarat are also expensive. The fare from Delhi to Patna between November 5 and 7 has been reported at around Rs 8,000 to Rs 9,500. On certain dates, tickets from Hyderabad to Patna are costing more than Rs 23,000.

Government Buses Could Provide Some Relief
After trains and flights, buses offer another travel option. Keeping Diwali and Chhath in mind, the Bihar State Road Transport Corporation is preparing to operate around 200 special buses between November 5 and 20. These buses will connect Bihar with Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, West Bengal and Jharkhand. Passengers will have access to AC seater, AC sleeper, semi-sleeper and non-AC buses. The corporation is also offering subsidies of more than 30% on tickets for AC seater and AC sleeper buses. Passengers can book tickets through the corporation’s official website.

Long-Distance Bus Journeys Remain Difficult
For people travelling to Bihar from Maharashtra, Gujarat and South India, bus journeys can be extremely exhausting. The distance from several of these cities to Bihar is between 1,500 and 2,000 kilometres or even more. Private bus fares have also reportedly crossed Rs 3,000 per passenger. Those travelling through government buses may have to change buses along the way. Travelling with three or four family members increases both the cost and inconvenience. The Railways has also introduced festival special trains to Bihar from several cities, but seats are still not available for everyone.

Carpooling And Flexible Travel Dates
Passengers living within a distance of around 1,000 to 1,200 kilometres can consider carpooling services such as BlaBla or taxis operated by Ola and Uber. Carpooling is reportedly costing around Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,500 per person, but seats on these services are also limited during the festive season. A better option for passengers may be to check nearby railway stations, alternative travel dates and availability on special trains. They can also explore government bus bookings. This year, reaching home in time for Chhath requires travellers to plan their journeys well in advance.