Alam is a Community Correspondent from Nalanda district, Bihar. Alam joined Video Volunteers as a VV-PACS Correspondent. He feels that media plays an important role in the development and that the mainstream media often sidelines the needs of marginalised communities. He has seen a lot of discrimination in his village, and therefore wants work on those issues as a video…

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For those who need to travel by train in Juniar, Bihar, there is only one train a day to cater to about 3,000 passengers. With a limited number of bogies. The train comes from Islampur, on its way to Patna. Already crowded.

The Juniar passengers scramble to get in, but often find no space. Forcing them to hang from the doors or climb on top of the train. In the melee, some even leave their luggage behind by mistake. The reporter himself has had to hang from the door of the bogie. Once he managed to squeeze into the compartment, but had to travel standing all the way.

We hear that bullet trains are being introduced in India in the near future. Improved bogies with plush interiors are awaiting clearance before being attached to main-line trains.

Is it too much to ask the railway authorities to attach extra bogies to the Islampur-Patna train? To provide for the needs of the people of Juniar. Who continue to expose themselves to danger and the elements by sitting on top of the train, with nothing to hold onto.

Community correspondent Md. Mister Alam requests viewers to help his community by calling the Divisional Railway Manager at Danapur on 9771449900 and ask him to add more coaches so that people can travel safely.

Md. Mister Alam reports from Juniar, Hilsa, Nalanda, Bihar for IndiaUnheard

This video was made by a Video Volunteers Community Correspondent. Community Correspondents come from marginalised communities in India and produce videos on unreported stories. These stories are ’news by those who live it.’ they give the hyperlocal context to global human rights and development challenges. See more such videos at www.videovolunteers.org. Take action for a more just global media by sharing their videos and joining in their call for change.