Surat (Gujarat): Thousands of migrant workers gathered at Udhna railway station in Surat on Sunday, leading to long queues and heavy rush as they tried to leave the city.
The sudden crowding caused chaos at the station, with workers struggling to board trains. Though officials described it as a seasonal rise in passenger traffic, many travellers expressed dissatisfaction over the heavy rush, extreme heat and long waiting hours.
Passengers complained about the lack of proper arrangements and demanded better facilities at the station.
Reasons behind the sudden rush
The crowd was reportedly larger than usual summer holiday travel. Along with vacations, migrant workers cited LPG shortage and slowdown of work in the industrial sector as major reasons for returning to their native places.
In the early hours of the morning, platforms at Udhna station were filled beyond capacity. Many workers stood in queues overnight to board trains heading to Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and other northern states.
Eyewitnesses said police had to resort to mild lathi-charge at times to control the crowd. However, Western Railway officials maintained that the situation was under control.
Public Relations Officer Anubhav Saxena said the first train from Udhna to Jaynagar departed at 1.30 am, followed by another train to Madhubani at 5.30 am. He stated that more than 21,000 passengers had travelled so far.
To manage the excess demand, Antyodaya Express and Amrit Bharat Express trains were operated additionally. Seven extra ticket counters were also opened to reduce congestion, Saxena added.
Workers cite LPG shortage and rising expenses
Despite the seasonal increase in travel, many workers said daily life in Surat had become difficult in recent weeks.
Rohit Paswan from Patna said he was returning home due to LPG shortage and reduced work at his factory. Jaihind Maurya from Uttar Pradesh also shared similar concerns and said he did not even get a seat on the train.
Some workers reported that cooking gas (LPG) was either unavailable or too expensive. As a result, some were forced to skip meals and decided to return to their villages until the supply situation improves.
Reports indicate that the situation in Surat reflects a broader LPG shortage. Tensions in West Asia have reportedly affected fuel supply, including LPG, with local impacts now visible in industrial hubs.
Recently, protests over minimum wage demands were reported in Noida, which led to clashes in some areas. More than 300 workers were detained following clashes between workers and police.
These developments have highlighted growing unrest among workers in major industrial regions such as Gurugram, Sonipat and Surat.