COVID guidelines flouted as thousands return from Bihar after Chhath Puja

The people in great numbers are rushing to trains without following any social distancing. COVID guideline is not properly followed.

PATNA: People who arrived in Bihar for the Chhath Puja are now returning back to their places. The people in great numbers are rushing to trains without following any social distancing. Every day thousands of passengers gather at Patna Junction, Rajendra Nagar Terminal and Patliputra Junction. With such a huge number of commuters, COVID guidelines and checking of face masks by visitors or conducting thermal scanning is not being done in an organised manner.

The passenger tickets too, are not being examined.

The railway administration is continuously urging passengers to follow the guidelines with the help of loudspeakers. Meanwhile, the railway administration has increased the number of security personnel to ensure that COVID guidelines and social distancing is maintained among visitors amid the ongoing pandemic.

Commuters unable to book a train ticket are getting back to their workplaces via buses. Hundreds of daily buses are being run to Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and Kolkata from Patna’s Mitapur bus stand. Bus operators are taking advantage of the current scenario and have increased fare prices. There is resentment among passengers with this increased ticket fare.

People are also taking flights to Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Bangalore. Patna Airport is overcrowded. Darbhanga Airport too is functioning and as a result, Patna Aiirport’s crowd is managed well. Although, people from Darbhanga region opted for Patna Airport due to the high difference in airfare between the two airports.

The recent Bihar Assembly election was contested primarily on the issue of livelihood and jobs, and people were travelling back with zeal and enthusiasm hoping not to experience such trouble again.