Sale of advance train tickets ahead of Eid-ul Azha and Durga Puja has started amidst the usual rush and complaints of delay in getting tickets.
To avoid gridlocks, mishaps and hassles, home-goers prefer to travel by train during festive seasons. Hence, like in the past, this year too, the ticket aspirants started queuing up at Kamalapur railway station from wee hours.
By the time the sale-counter opened at 9 am Friday, the queue had taken a gigantic proportion.
The sale evoked mixed reaction. It brought smile on the face of those who got the tickets to their destinations after prolonged wait. At the same time many were heard complaining about the snail-pace at which tickets were sold.
Mymensingh-bound passenger Mokshed Rahman, who had queued up for the ticket since Thursday midnight, was visibly relieved after getting the ticket.
“As the road condition is horrible, I was little worried. But after getting the train ticket, I am relieved now,” he said.
Many were, however, upset for not getting AC accommodation or a berth.
In this context, Director General of Railways Tafajjal Hossain said, “There might have been some problems as tickets for AC compartments are limited. We are, however, looking into this problem seriously.”
On reply to a query on whether the commencement of sale would be preponed to 8am, Secretary in the Railway Ministry Mansur Ali Sikdar told journalists, “As per government rules tickets are being sold from 9am to 5pm. We will think about changing the timing only if we receive complaints from the passengers.”
According to the railway authorities 18 to 20 thousand advance tickets will be sold through 15 counters in Kamalpur station.
Though generally 1.80 lakh tickets are sold every day, in view of Eid and Puja, altogether 2.50 lakh tickets will be sold.
Like the previous years, this time too one person will not get more than four tickets.
Holiday for the Bijoya Dashami on the occasion of biggest Hindu festival of Durga Puja is on October 4. This will be followed by one of the biggest festivals of the Muslims, Eid-ul Azha, on October 6.
Though Eid holidays are from October 5 to 7, there are weekly holidays on October 3 and 4, these being Friday and Saturday respectively.
On the first day of the sale on Friday, tickets for the fifth day prior to Eid were sold.
Director General of Railways Tafajjal Hossain said from September 26, tickets for October 1 to 5 would be sold serially.
On October 3, return tickets for October 7 will be available.
Source: Bd news24