Mumbai, May 19 (IANS): The Western Railway and security agencies had a harrowing time as hundreds of anxious migrants crowded outside the Bandra Terminus here on Tuesday morning hoping to catch a train to Bihar, officials said.

A Shramik Special train was scheduled to depart for Punia in Bihar at 12 p.m., but a large number of unregistered and unauthorized migrants with their families and luggage were seen on the road and bridge outside the terminus building.

"However, the bonafide passengers were checked and allowed to enter the station premises by the state government officials. The train left Bandra at 12 noon with 1,700 registered migrants and their families who were entitled to travel on it," said Western Railway Chief Spokesperson Ravinder Bhakar.

Later, after the train departed, the excess crowds which had collected outside were cleared from the vicinity by the police and other security personnel without any untoward incidents reported.