Maligaon, October 24 (MExN): Indian Railways is ensuring a smooth and comfortable festive journey for passengers by operating over 12,000 special trains across the country to manage the massive seasonal rush, officials said.
To handle the influx, holding areas equipped with essential passenger amenities have been established at major stations including New Delhi, Anand Vihar Terminal, Udhna, Pune, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. Railway staff are working round-the-clock to guide passengers and maintain order.
The national transporter is now focusing on the safe return journey of passengers after the Chhath Puja festivities. For the period from October 28th through November, an additional 6,181 special trains have been notified to facilitate passengers returning to their workplaces.
“In addition to special trains, we are augmenting existing services with extra coaches to accommodate the increased demand,” a senior railway official said.
To manage the large passenger inflows, weather-proof holding areas are being created at key stations in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. These include Patna, Danapur, Rajendra Nagar Terminal, Saharsa, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Gaya, Samastipur, Barauni, Gorakhpur, Ballia, and Banaras.
The Railways has also enhanced passenger convenience by deploying additional Automatic Ticket Vending Machines (ATVMs), Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters, and mobile unreserved ticketing (m-UTS) facilities.
Adequate numbers of Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel have been deployed for safety and crowd regulation. Passenger assistance booths, information counters, queue management systems, and public announcement systems have been strengthened at major stations.
Cleanliness, lighting, and sanitation facilities are being closely monitored, the official said.
Dedicated 24x7 war rooms at the Railway Board, Zonal, and Divisional levels are actively monitoring and coordinating operations to ensure a real-time response to passenger requirements.
As a health precaution, 24x7 medical booths have been set up at stations like Patna, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, and Gaya. Fire Brigade and Ambulance services are also on standby in coordination with State Governments for prompt emergency response.
