Yesterday, I was present in one of the busiest railway station in India. Situated in the eastern part of India, the station is quite popular. This was my first experience of the station. Even though I heard it many a times, but never witness the crowd and the chaos of such railway station. I have been a frequent railway traveller, but this time, I witness one of the crowdest place. But seeing the people, it appears to be a lifeline of Howrah.
Life at Howrah Railway Station is characterized by extreme busyness, with a constant stream of passengers coming and going, making it one of the busiest railway stations in the world; while some describe it as a bustling, vibrant hub with a historic charm, others mention potential issues with cleanliness, crowds, and navigating the large complex, especially during peak hours.
Howrah is considered a "happening city" primarily because of its strategic location as a major transportation hub on the west bank of the Hooghly River, directly opposite Kolkata, making it a crucial gateway to the city and the state of West Bengal; this is further amplified by the presence of the extremely busy Howrah Railway Station, one of the largest and busiest in India, which contributes to a constant flow of people and activity within the city.
Before we get inside the railway, I get hold of something special of thr place. Howrah is one of the happening city and to make the city go on the roll, the yellow taxis plays an importsnt role. There were many Yellow Taxi present just outside the rsioway station. These are easily available outside the station for local rides.
Yellow taxis in Kolkata, India are iconic and are known for their durability, visibility, and role in Kolkata's culture. In moat part of India, we can find black and yellow taxis. But in Howrah, we can see taxis in yellow. There is a specific reason for yellow colour on the road. Yellow is easy to spot, even at night, making it ideal for taxis that need to be seen from a distance. These Yellow taxis are a part of Kolkata's culture and have been featured in Bollywood and Bengali films.
As we get inside the railway station, I was amazed to find vast open waiting area. Not to mention, ir was a big hall, and quite crowded. I can see people from all walk of life waiting or bustling inside the station, before boarding their train. Tye scene was chaotic and for a second , I was suffocating while entering. But once settled down, I felt quite relaxed.
There were many food joints near the waiting hall. They were nicely decorated and appearing very attractive. The decoration was all due to the recently concluded Durga puja festival. It was one of the major festival in this area.
The Howrah Bridge is hardly few meter away from the station. So one can easily venture out of the station to have a look at the beauty of the steel and iron architecture. There were underpass passage as well as through the main road.
The railway platform were just next to these big halls. It does not take long for people to board rhe trains. The Howrah railway Station is very big still it was crowded. One can assume the number of people using the station to commute. We can find local trains as well as to other major railway station.
It was a good experince of travelling from that station. I reserved some fond memory for the coming years. The chaotic atmosphere at railway station is something to explore once untill you get habitual the place.
