The Amrit Bharat Express that leaves Delhi’s Anand Vihar station in the afternoon and arrives in Motihari in Bihar the next morning is packed to the brim. Every year, as Chhath Puja nears, trains headed east overflow with migrants returning home. This one is no exception.

In the sleeper coach, it takes nearly 15 minutes to push through the narrow aisle to the berth. Sacks, suitcases, plastic buckets, cardboard boxes filled with pressure cookers, and utensils lie strewn around. The only way to move luggage is to balance it on the head and squeeze sideways.

In the compartment where this reporter has a reservation, 15 adults and seven children share eight seats. The floor and berths are cluttered with bags and new purchases — mixies, dinner sets, blankets — all gifts to take home. Some pass

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