Passengers wait for their train at Patna Junction on Friday. Picture by Deepak Kumar

Patna, Jan. 6: “Khana hain paanch roti, kha rahe hain 15 roti (We can eat five rotis, but are consuming 15).” That’s what Patna Junction station manager V.K. Choudhary said today, when asked why trains to the state capital arrive late.

In other words, the station can cater to only a small number of trains but has to deal with many. In 2010, the number of trains passing through Patna Junction was 320. Last year, it was jacked up to 360. The result: while one train picks and drops passengers at a platform, others keep waiting.

“The number of trains has gone up very quickly in the past few years, but the number of platforms and tracks connecting the station has remained the same. At the Patna Junction, we try to release the trains after the scheduled stoppage time. The delay occurs between Danapur and Rajendranagar,” Choudhary said.

He added: “The number of platforms has remained only nine. Ideally, 20 trains should pass through one platform, but here each platform takes the load of at least 30 trains per day.”

Passengers, meanwhile, remain a harried lot. Those arriving at Patna Junction get irked because they have to wait for hours in trains.

“My wife is expecting. For me, every minute is precious. As always, the train is taking too long to cover the distance between Fatuha and Patna Junction,” said Kankerbagh resident Suresh Mehrotra, who was on his way from Durgapur to Patna today.

Those on the platforms are no better off.

Akal Lama, a resident of Tinsukia in Assam, said: “We have been waiting for the Brahmaputra Express. The train is late by four hours. It becomes difficult to wait at the station like this.”

There is some hope in the horizon though. Additional divisional railway manager, Danapur, Randhawa Suhag said: “Once the Patliputra station, which is under construction, starts functioning, the pressure on Patna Junction would come down. Also, there are plans to start more trains from the Rajendra Nagar station.”

Another senior railway officer said: “Talks are on to increase the number of platforms. We have proposed the idea, but no concrete decision has been taken on the issue.”

The construction work of an additional platform (number 10) has been on for almost 10 years, but the work is yet to be complete. “If the construction of the platform is completed, it will obviously help bring down the delay of trains between Danapur and Patna,” he added.

Sources said the construction could be complete in the next three months. “Work on the platform is in the final stages. It should be complete soon,” a source said.

A division bench of Patna High Court on January 3 passed an order to ensure the smooth running of trains, to help passengers, especially for those who commute from the sub-urban areas to the state capital.