Agartala: The 2014 is set to end with pains for the people of Tripura, as travel loving residents are virtually stuck up in cities of the state in vacation at year ending.
Traditionally, Tripura people go out of the state in December when schools, colleges and university start winter vacation in mid-December but this year was quite different.
Travelling out has become extremely difficult for the middle class residents of Tripura thanks to SpiceJet and gauge conversion work of Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR).Movement from Tripura in past one month becomes highly expansive and uncertain.
According to Airport Authority of India (AAI), more than 1000 holiday hoppers had to cancel the trip in past two weeks because of cancelation of flights mostly SpiceJet and delayed operation of other airlines.
“Most of travelers, booked family air tickets from Agartala to Kolkata, which was connected to trains from Kolkata to other southern and western destinations on the day itself or on the next day. The travel was planned well before and all the tickets and hotels were booked accordingly. Since, flights are cancelled or rescheduled, the entire trips became lost,” AAI officials said. According to NFR sources, more than 1500 passengers outbound to Karimganj of South Assam way out to different destinations of Assam, Mizoram and Manipur by the only one narrow gauge train has taken back the refund, as they could not board in the train.
“The departure of train is scheduled at 0930 hrs everyday from Agartala but in last two weeks the passengers have been buying the tickets in the early morning and boarded in the standing train. As a result, the passengers in forward stations could not get a chance to board in despite having ticket,” said an NFR official here today.
Tripura Road Transport officials said that everyday more than seven private and public buses are leaving from Agartala for Guwahati and Silchar and all the tickets have been sold out for next three days.
The buses for Dhaka from Agartala are also overcrowded and there is no seat left for till January 15, 2015. Similarly, hiring of buses for local trips is also going high this year during vacation, the officials said.
The taxi owner syndicate is happy this year, as they are getting good business.
“Everyday more than 200 taxis from the syndicate are chartered by the passengers for travelling to local tourist spots and picnic. The figure will be more than double if we estimate the private vehicles used for local tours,” said Kanu Debnath, an official of Taxi owners syndicate.
Tourism officials stated that Jumpui, Trishna, Debta-mura, Sepahijala, Neermahal, Roa and Unokoti have recorded highest number of domestic tourists this year in past 10 years. (UNI)
