LAHORE, Dec 4: There is a big rush at the city’s railway station and bus-stands nowadays, as people are leaving for their hometown to celebrate Eidul Fitr.

According to transporters, the average turnout of passengers at the Badami Bagh Bus-Stand is from 400,000 to 500,000 on normal days. However, the increase in the number of passengers on Eid is too much to handle for around 4,000 buses and mini-buses that are available at Badami Bagh on any given day.

On Wednesday, a majority of the buses leaving the Badami Bagh Bus-stand were overloaded with passengers, many of whom had accepted the inconvenience for their desire to reach home in time for Eid celebrations. And yet many were left stranded at the bus-stand, looking for a seat or even room to stand in a bus going to their town.

A similar scene was also witnessed at the railway station where people including women and children had formed long queues to get a seat in a train. Officials said the situation would worsen on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the people leaving for their hometowns are being replaced by beggars who have invaded the city to cash in on Eid. They have stormed the city roads, markets and shopping centres. On Eid day, they would throng the roads leading to the hundreds of city mosques and prayer-grounds.

The drummers who wake up people at Sehri during the Ramazan would also visit homes in their area of operation to seek reward for their service. Still, there would be those who pretend to be drummers and collect the rewards before the arrival of the real ones.