Panchbibi (Joypurhat) Correspondent :
Passengers are being harassed and suffering due to inadequate allocation of tickets for various intercity trains and lack of online system for selling tickets at Panchbibi Railway Station in Joypurhat, Due to the inability to give tickets as per the demand of the passengers, there are occasional incidents of quarrels with the people concerned at the station. Besides, local passengers are admitting extreme suffering due to non-stopping of Khulna-bound Rupsha and Simanta Express and Dhaka-bound Nilsagar and Kurigram intercity trains. Although the Railway Department has been informed more than once to resolve the issues, no action has been taken so far.
It has been learned that nine seats have been allotted in Rajshahi for the passengers of Panchbibi of Titumir Train traveling from Chilahati to Rajshahi. There are no seats for the middle station. This train has 5 seats in Chilahati. The Barind intercity train has 9 seats in Rajshahi, 5 in Natore and 10 in Santahar. Which is less than required. As the passengers of the two trains did not get enough tickets, more than 50 passengers from both the sides are traveling without tickets or special arrangements, said a source. The Dhaka-bound Ekota intercity train has 27 seats for Dhaka and the same Panchagarh-bound train has 20 seats for Dinajpur and Panchagarh. The Dhaka-bound express train has 18 seats in the intercity and only 10 seats for Panchagarh and Dinajpur. The Rajshahi-bound Banglabandha intercity train has stopped at Panchbibi Railway Station but tickets have not been issued to passengers for some time. The reason is that tickets for 5 seats were sold only for Santahar, but tickets for Rajshahi were closed due to bogie breakdown.
Passengers of several areas including Panchbibi, Hilli, Ghoraghat, Gobindaganj are facing daily difficulties as the allocation of tickets for all intercity trains plying at Panchbibi Railway Station is less than required. Many passengers have to collect tickets from nearby stations. Although there are 5 intercity trains plying at this railway station, no ticketing system has been introduced in the computerized system so far. Passengers also have to collect tickets from outside at higher prices.
