Indian Railways Deploys 12,000 Special Trains to Handle Chhath Festival Rush and Festive Season Travel

New Delhi:

Indian Railways has launched an extensive operation involving more than 12,000 special trains across the country to manage the festive season rush, according to an official statement.

The railway authority plans to introduce approximately 8,000 additional special trains in the upcoming days, specifically to accommodate the increased passenger traffic anticipated during festivals like Chhath, as reported by CPRO Northern Railway.

Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has personally supervised the preparation efforts to ensure smooth travel arrangements for passengers. On Tuesday evening, he conducted an on-site inspection at New Delhi Railway Station to evaluate the arrangements implemented for the festive period.

Operating at full capacity, Indian Railways is focused on providing comfortable and smooth journeys during the festive rush. Between October 1 and October 19, the railway network successfully operated 3,960 special trains to address the heightened travel demand during this festive season.

These special services are being distributed across all railway zones in India, with Northern Railway (1919 trains), Central Railway (1998 trains), and Western Railway (1501 trains) operating the highest number of additional services. Other zones including East Central Railway and North Western Railway have each deployed 1217 additional trains to meet regional travel needs.

Official data indicates that more than one crore passengers have already utilized these special services between October 1 and October 19. The authorities have implemented measures to streamline passenger movement across stations, including dedicated holding areas, additional ticket counters, drinking water facilities, and clean washrooms to enhance the overall travel experience.

In the New Delhi area, encompassing New Delhi, Delhi, Anand Vihar, Hazrat Nizamuddin, and Shakur Basti stations, approximately 15.17 lakh passengers traveled from October 16 to 19, representing an increase of 1.51 lakh passengers compared to the 13.66 lakh passengers during the same period last year.

The Union Minister also visited New Delhi and Anand Vihar Railway stations where he engaged with passengers to gather feedback on the arrangements. Special provisions include holding areas, increased number of ticket counters, drinking water facilities, train timing displays, and other amenities designed to facilitate smooth passenger travel.

Indian Railways maintains its commitment to providing safe, comfortable, and hassle-free travel for all passengers during the festive rush. More than 12 lakh Railway employees are working around the clock to ensure efficient operations and a pleasant journey experience for travelers.