Udhna railway station in Surat witnessed a significant surge in passenger traffic on Friday, November 6, as thousands of migrant workers embarked on their journey home to celebrate Diwali and Chhath Puja. Railway officials confirmed that over 37,000 passengers boarded both regular and special festival trains bound for Bihar on that single day. The mass exodus is driven by the annual closure of the city’s massive textile industry, which employs approximately 6 lakh workers, many of whom hail from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Odisha.
The scale of the migration is reflected in the ticket sales at Udhna station, with officials reporting that 37,698 tickets were issued for travel to Jaynagar in Bihar’s Madhubani district. As the 4.5 lakh powerlooms in Surat began shutting down for the annual holiday season earlier this month, the railway station has seen a consistent increase in footfall. Authorities anticipate that the total number of departures could reach record levels this year, particularly as many workers aim to reach their hometowns before the peak of the Chhath festivities, scheduled between November 13 and 16.
For many families, the journey home involves significant endurance. Passengers have been arriving at the station’s designated holding areas up to 12 to 14 hours before their scheduled departures to ensure they secure a spot on the trains. The Antyodaya Express, a regular train on the Surat-Jaynagar route, covers the distance of more than 1,850 km in approximately 36 hours. Given the high demand, the Western Railway has deployed several additional special trains to accommodate the rush.
Thirty-two-year-old Santosh Singh, a textile factory worker from the city’s Pandesara area, described the atmosphere as tense but necessary. Along with his wife, Geeta, and their son, Abhishek, Singh arrived at the station on Friday evening, waiting over 12 hours for their train. Like many others, the family spent the night in the holding area, taking turns to sleep and monitor their belongings. “It is quite tense and difficult going back home during the festival season,” Singh said, adding that he expects to remain in his home state for at least 20 to 25 days.
To handle the sheer volume of travellers, the Western Railway has expanded the passenger holding area at Udhna station to accommodate more than 20,000 people at once. The facility has been equipped with fans, lighting, mobile charging points, and restroom facilities to support the waiting families. Coordination between the Railway Protection Force, Government Railway Police, and local police has been tightened to maintain order and ensure a peaceful environment as crowds gather near the platforms.
Western Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Vineet Abhishek noted that the department is actively monitoring the situation. Between October 29 and November 7, a total of 1.85 lakh passengers had already utilized 28 regular and 33 special trains. "The textile mills have started closing down, and the footfall will increase over the weekend," the CPRO stated. He added that the railway is prepared to launch more special unreserved trains if the demand continues to escalate.
Historical data from the previous year highlights the scale of this annual movement. During the 2025 Diwali-Chhath season, a total of 2.53 lakh passengers travelled from Udhna station using a combination of 33 regular and 54 special trains, generating Rs 6.39 crore in revenue. With thousands more workers expected to depart in the coming days, railway authorities remain on high alert to manage the logistical challenges of this seasonal migration across North India.
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