Bharat Scouts & Guides rendered voluntary services at stations during Chhath Puja

Guwahati: On the auspicious occasion of Chhath Puja, volunteers from the Bharat Scouts & Guides actively extended their support at various stations under the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR). Their dedicated efforts contributed significantly to managing the festive rush and assisting passengers, complementing the extensive measures undertaken by NFR to ensure smooth, safe and comfortable travel across its jurisdiction.

In support of these efforts, the Bharat Scouts & Guides under the Katihar and New Jalpaiguri District Associations extended voluntary services at key stations. Around 30 members comprising Scouts & Guides, Rovers, Rangers and Unit Leaders actively rendered their assistance at stations such as Katihar, Barsoi, Purnia, Jogbani, Forbesganj, New Jalpaiguri and Kishanganj. Their contribution included regulating and guiding the crowd during boarding and de-boarding of trains, helping passengers navigate platforms and providing free drinking water to ensure comfort and relief for pilgrims and long-distance travellers.

To meet the surge in demand during the festive season, Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) is operating special festival trains, covering 620 trips across key routes from September to December 2025. These trains connect major destinations ensuring convenient travel for passengers heading to their hometowns and pilgrimage sites. In view of the heavy rush, special arrangements have been made at major stations including Katihar, New Jalpaiguri, Guwahati, Jogbani and Kishanganj, with temporary holding areas, enhanced announcement systems, additional ticket counters, automatic ticket vending machines and round-the-clock war rooms. Extra staff and RPF personnel have been deployed to assist passengers and maintain crowd discipline, ensuring a safe and comfortable travel experience.

This initiative ensured smooth passenger operations during the festival and reflected NFR’s spirit of community service and teamwork. The voluntary support of Bharat Scouts and Guides highlighted the values of service and discipline, complementing the railway’s efforts. Through these collective measures, NFR reaffirmed its commitment to safe, comfortable and well-organized travel during Chhath Puja and other major festivals.