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With the onset of Diwali festivities in India, Western Railway (WR) has introduced 200 special trains to meet the surge in travel demand during Diwali and Chhath Puja. On October 29, more than 120 of these trains were operational, as reported by Indian Railways. Approximately 40 of these trains are managed by the Mumbai Division, with 22 heading to key destinations in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, and Odisha.
In response to a recent stampede at Mumbai's Bandra station, Indian Railways has bolstered staffing at crucial stations like Ahmedabad, Surat, Udhna, Vadodara, and Bandra Terminus. To manage crowding effectively, platform ticket sales have been halted at several Mumbai Division stations including Mumbai Central, Dadar, Bandra Terminus, and Borivali until November 8.
Additional Coaches for Festival Travellers
These special trains will operate alongside regular services with extra coaches added to accommodate increased passenger numbers. Vineet Abhishek, Western Railway's chief public relations officer, mentioned that these measures highlight the railway's commitment to meeting heightened demand during the festive season. "To effectively handle demand, both divisional and headquarters teams are closely monitoring these services with real-time waitlist tracking," Abhishek added.
Eastern Railway has also taken steps to ease travel during Diwali and Chhath Puja by launching 400 new services and introducing 50 special trains. Kaushik Mitra, Eastern Railway's public relations officer, noted that this year there are 50 special trains compared to last year's 33.
The introduction of additional services by both Western and Eastern Railways aims to ensure smooth travel for passengers during this busy period. By increasing train frequency and adding extra coaches, Indian Railways is working diligently to prevent overcrowding and provide a safer travel experience for all passengers.
