Last-minute Chhath rush strains transport; airfares to Bihar spike

The final days of Chhath Puja preparations have triggered a transportation crisis across India's major urban centres, with travellers heading to Bihar creating bottlenecks on trains, buses and flights. The festival, which holds significant religious importance for communities across north India, has prompted an unprecedented surge in demand for seats on all transport modes.

Railways have responded by deploying additional special train services on major routes connecting metropolitan areas to Bihar. The Delhi and Bihar governments have jointly arranged 77 extra buses to handle the overflow of passengers unable to secure train or flight bookings. Despite these measures, queues remain long at booking counters and online portals, with many services reporting sold-out status.

Air travel to the state capital Patna has become prohibitively expensive for many travellers, with fares from several major cities climbing beyond ₹44,000 per ticket. Budget-conscious pilgrims have shifted to rail and road transport, further intensifying congestion on these networks as the festival approaches its peak days.

Transport operators have cautioned that the rush is expected to intensify further before the main days of Chhath Puja, with return journeys likely to present similar challenges in the coming week.