Travelling in comfort along with on-time reach to desired destination by trains of Indian Railways is not a common affair in India. However, few trains in India more or less is providing comfortable and on-time journey to passengers. Rajadhani Express is one of those trains and fortunately Kishanganj, a district in north-eastern district of Bihar is served by this train. Three Guwahati bounds train namely Dibrugarh – New Delhi Rajdhani Express (12424 / 12423 – running all week days from both directions), Dibrugarh – New Delhi Rajdhani (12436 / 12435 – running twice in a week from both directions) and Guwahati – New Delhi Rajdhani Express (12236 / 12235 – running once in a week from both directions).
In the recent time, you have observed the tickets in Rajdhani are booked as soon the reservation opens 4 (four montsh) / 120 days in advance. Even the Wait Listed (W/L) tickets with No 1 or 2 hardly gets confirmed. If you fail to book the tickets, then unwillingly you opt for other trains like North East Express (12505 / 12506), Mahananda Express (15483 / 15484), Barhamputra Express or Avadh Express. All these trains hardly run on time and travelling is not at all comfortable.
However, what is being shared further about the berth (seat) availability for Kishanganj bound passengers from New Delhi is somehow shocking. You can’t travel with a family of more than two (2) in any class of Rajdhani to Kishanganj from New Delhi. As per the official website of Indian Railways (www.indianrail.gov.in) Dibrugarh bound Rajdhani Express (12424) is having only two (2) berths each in 2 AC (2 Tier) and 3 AC (3 Tier), similarly Train No 12236 is having same number of seats, while 12436 is having two additional seats in 3 AC and make a total of 4. Apart from these, there is no berth for Kishanganj bound passengers in 1 AC (First Class) in any Rajdhani crossing the city, which is also referred as 'Chicken Neck' or 'Gateway for North-Eastern states of India'.
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| Allocated berths for Kishanganj from New Delhi in 12424 |
You will be surprised as well as shocked to know that even in Naugachia, where the 12424 (Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express) has been provided stoppage recently is having more berths allocation than Kishanganj. For Naugachia bound passengers the train has 2 berths for 1 AC, 4 berths in 2 AC and 6 berths in 3 AC. In fact, in a particular day only 4 Kishanganj bounded passengers can travel in Rajdhani Express across all classes. These facts are eye-opening for residents of Kishanganj based in Delhi & NCR and other nearby areas who prefer the train for its timings and comfort. Earlier there were more around 50 to 60 allocated berths for Kishanganj bound passengers. The changes have been done in the year 2012 during Mamata Banerjee’s TMC alliance with UPA government in guidelines of his ministers but hardly anyone had noticed the change.
Guwahati bound Rajdhani Express got its stoppage during the rule of NDA government. Thanks to the then Member of Parliament (MP) from Kishanganj Syed Shahnawaz Hussain. Based on public demand, he had requested his government to provide stoppage of Rajdhani Express at Kishanganj. The halt of Rajdhani at Kishanganj was like a precious gift for Kishanganjwasis residing in national capital. The decrease in number of berths in all three Rajdhanis is a matter of concern for all.
Member of Parliament (MP) Maulana Asrarul Haque Qasmi must look into the issue seriously and talk with his government’s minister about increasing the berths to satisfactory level. As of now, only four Kishanganj bounded passengers are able to travel in Rajdhani, the requirement as per volume of passengers is at least 50 per day. Along with this, the MP must give attention on long demand of district people about the stoppage of Sampark Kranti Express (12502 / 12501) at Kishanganj, which is good train running on the route.
Below is the comparative sheet showing berths availability in three Rajadhani at different stations including Kishanganj.
Train No
|
Running Days
|
From
|
To
|
Quota
|
I AC
|
2 AC
|
3 AC
|
|
12424
|
All week days
|
Kishanganj
|
General
|
No Seat
|
2
|
2
|
||
12424
|
All week days
|
Naugachia
|
General
|
2
|
4
|
6
|
||
12424
|
All week days
|
Katihar
|
General
|
No Seat
|
2
|
6
|
||
12424
|
All week days
|
New Jalpaiguri
|
General
|
2
|
7
|
27
|
||
12424
|
All week days
|
Guwahati
|
General
|
7
|
27
|
360
|
||
Train No
|
Running Days
|
From
|
To
|
Quota
|
I AC
|
2 AC
|
3 AC
|
|
12436
|
Thursday, Sunday
|
Kishanganj
|
General
|
No Seat
|
2
|
4
|
||
12424
|
Thursday, Sunday
|
Katihar
|
General
|
No Seat
|
2
|
6
|
||
12424
|
Thursday, Sunday
|
New Jalpaiguri
|
General
|
No Seat
|
8
|
18
|
||
12424
|
Thursday, Sunday
|
Guwahati
|
General
|
10
|
27
|
360
|
||
Train No
|
Running Days
|
From
|
To
|
Quota
|
I AC
|
2 AC
|
3 AC
|
|
12236
|
Tuesday
|
Kishanganj
|
General
|
No Seat
|
2
|
2
|
||
12236
|
Tuesday
|
Katihar
|
General
|
No Seat
|
2
|
2
|
||
12236
|
Tuesday
|
New Jalpaiguri
|
General
|
1
|
2
|
24
|
||
12236
|
Tuesday
|
Guwahati
|
General
|
8
|
82
|
528
|
||
