KOLKATA/SILIGURI: With the Bagdogra airport being shut for runway repairs from Monday, demand for trains and buses to north Bengal soared ahead of the Good Friday-Poila Baisakh long weekend.
Among the 10 trains available to New Jalpaiguri for April 15, tickets for AC 3-tier were available for only one train—a summer special introduced only last week—and second seating tickets were available on Teesta Torsha Express. Buses, too, are fast filling up, be it the ones operated by NBSTC or run by private operators. “Queries for seats have suddenly peaked. We mostly get last-minute travellers who don’t get train bookings and can’t afford flights. But this time, with flights off the radar for more than two weeks during the peak season, we are getting several flight passengers as well,” said a representative of Ghosh Travels at their Esplanade office, where buses to Siliguri leave on a regular basis.
