The Chhath Puja rush across north India has thrown Indian Railways’ claims of “seamless crowd management” into sharp contrast with chaotic scenes at major stations and biting sarcasm on social media even as government voices post video after video of “satisfied” passengers.

Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Thursday that the passenger rush during the festive season was being monitored at divisional, zonal and levels to ensure “efficient and seamless crowd handling.”

Scenes from stations such as Jalandhar told a very different story.

A PTI video on Thursday night showed utter commotion at the station, with passengers attempting to force open train doors as RPF and GRP personnel were put on high alert. In the clip, a group of young men were seen violently kicking and smashing a train’s gate while others tried to enter through emergency windows.

The footage quickly went viral, sparking a wave of online reactions that mocked the government’s claims of preparedness.

“Are 12,000 trains running on the moon?” wrote one user.

Vaishnaw had on 22 October said that over 12,000 special trains were being operated across India between October 1 and November 30, 2025, including 2,220 trains dedicated to Bihar routes to handle the surge in festive travel.

Another user commented, “The video says RPF and GRP are on high alert, can’t see even one officer here.”

Some took aim at Vaishnaw and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, dubbing the government’s PR drive as “world class passenger management system, new definitions… PM – Prachar Minister, RM – Reel Minister.”

The Press Information Bureau (PIB) and state-run Doordarshan have been posting numerous videos on X of passengers praising the facilities on trains such as the Anand Vihar–Bhagalpur Vikramshila Express.

In one such clip, a young boy stated that the RPF had helped him during his journey from Delhi and that he had “no problem” while travelling.

His visible hesitation and awkward smile became yet another subject of online ridicule, with users accusing the PIB of trying too hard to project a “smooth travel experience.”

Another video, by ANI, showed a huge rush at Ambala Cantt railway station as people left for their hometowns ahead of Chhath Puja.

One user, tongue firmly in cheek, accused the news agency seen as close to the BJP of broadcasting “a fake video of a crowd in a train” and called it “a conspiracy to defame the government and the railway minister.”

Another commented, “ANI is tarnishing the reputation of the Indian Railway Minister by sharing videos of Pakistan.”

The sarcasm wasn’t lost on anyone.

At the Rail Bhawan in New Delhi, Vaishnaw told reporters that divisions and zones were keeping a “real-time watch” on passenger arrivals through CCTV feeds. He said the “war room” at the Railway Board serves as a third layer of monitoring and that prominent stations facing heavy rush are under constant observation.

He cited the permanent holding area at New Delhi Railway Station as an example of how crowd control measures have been effective during festive periods.

At the same time, elaborate arrangements have been made across the Hajipur-headquartered East Central Railway (ECR) zone, which covers key Chhath Puja routes.

ECR General Manager Chhatrasal Singh said on Wednesday that the number of Chhath special trains had increased from 7,500 to 12,000 this year.

“A large number of people are expected to visit Bihar to celebrate Chhath. Preparations for their arrival are already complete, though the real challenge will arise when they return to their workplaces after the festival,” he said.

Singh added that construction of holding areas at major terminals would be completed by Thursday night, followed by a “dress rehearsal” of the arrangements.

He also said that centralised monitoring would be conducted from the Patliputra Rail Complex, with similar systems in place at all divisional offices to track station traffic.

“Many unannounced trains will be run from major terminals if large numbers of unreserved passengers turn up,” he said, adding that additional security personnel would be deployed during the festival.

As the government cited “robust” systems and social media users highlighted “reel” management, the scenes at crowded stations continued to underscore the widening gap between claims and reality.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav shared a BBC Hindi video from Udhna in Gujarat showing long queues of people at the station waiting to return to Bihar for Chhath Puja and the elections.

“If the condition of the railways remains like this, there will be queues from different states to Bihar during the BJP rule. People of Bihar are searching for those thousands of special trains that the BJP government had promised,” the Opposition leader wrote in Hindi.

He added: “This time, people who somehow reached Bihar for Chhath festival will, in the same way, form queues to vote against the BJP and bring about change.”