Jalandhar: Massive crowds at Jalandhar railway station on October 22 led to chaotic scenes as passengers rushed to board overcrowded Bihar-bound trains ahead of the Chhath Puja.
Some concerning videos from the station showed people forcing open moving train doors, climbing onto packed coaches and even entering through windows, as police struggled to control the surging rush despite heavy deployment.
Here's one such video that captured the chaos:
Overcrowding Raises Safety Concerns
The incident took place during two days before the Chhath Puja, as thousands of passengers, many carrying luggage, gathered at the Jalandhar station in a bid to return home for the festival celebrated primarily in Bihar, Jharkhand and parts of Uttar Pradesh. Despite the Indian Railways deploying over 5,000 special trains and setting up control ‘war rooms’ at major stations, the demand once again far exceeded capacity.
Footage circulating on social media showed passengers jostling to board already full compartments, pointing towards the recurring strain on India’s railway infrastructure during major festivals. Police personnel were seen trying to manage the crowd, but the intensity of the rush overwhelmed on-ground arrangements.
Annual Migration Points at Systemic Gaps
Chhath Puja, a four-day festival, will be observed this year from October 25 to 28. Each year, millions of workers travel from states such as Punjab, Delhi and Maharashtra back to their hometowns in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
Historical data show that Uttar Pradesh alone accounted for over 12 million inter-state migrants as per the 2011 Census, a figure that experts estimate has grown significantly since. With over 15 million people potentially migrating during peak seasons, festival travel continues to expose the gap between infrastructure planning and on-ground realities.
After the video from Jalandhar station went viral on social media, some netizens blamed inadequate railway enforcement and others cited poor passenger discipline for the chaos.
