Railways to run 1,500 additional trains for Chhath Puja, doubling final 12 months’s depend and highest in a decade

The Indian Railways will function 1,500 extra trains over the subsequent 5 days to handle the sharp rise in passenger visitors forward of Chhath Puja, in line with an official assertion from the Ministry of Railways. The transfer goals to make sure easy and secure journey for lakhs of passengers returning residence to rejoice the pageant, significantly throughout Bihar, jap Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.

The Railways stated it could run a mean of 300 particular trains per day between October 22 and October 26, along with common providers. That is half of a bigger operational plan masking the 61-day festive interval from October 1 to November 30, throughout which over 12,000 particular prepare journeys are being scheduled nationwide.

To date, 11,865 journeys have been notified – 9,338 reserved and a couple of,203 unreserved – marking a close to 54 per cent improve in contrast with final 12 months’s 7,724 festive journeys. The upcoming five-day operation alone displays an estimated 94 per cent leap in day by day providers in contrast with the identical interval final 12 months.

“The Railways goes the additional mile to make sure that each traveller reaches residence safely and comfortably throughout Chhath,” the Ministry stated in its assertion.

Passenger numbers have already surged sharply this season. On October 19, greater than 36,000 individuals boarded trains at Udhna station in Gujarat – a 50 per cent improve on the identical day in 2024. All passengers have been accommodated by 4 pm, aided by coordinated crowd administration, extra ticket counters and devoted holding areas. Over the previous 5 days, greater than 1.2 lakh individuals have departed from Udhna, the Ministry reported.

Railway Safety Power (RPF) personnel have been deployed in larger numbers at main stations to help the aged, disabled and sick passengers. Related crowd-control and security measures have been applied throughout busy stations together with Patna, Varanasi and Delhi.

Travellers have praised the improved services this 12 months, citing cleaner stations, well-maintained coaches and higher passenger help. At Jabalpur, passengers famous improved hygiene and organised boarding, whereas these on long-distance routes comparable to Bengaluru-Kolkata recommended the courteous workers and environment friendly service.

At Ahmedabad station, the RPF was seen actively serving to passengers with particular must board safely, reflecting the Railways’ deal with accessibility and passenger consolation in the course of the pageant interval.

Chhath Puja, noticed over 4 days, entails providing prayers to the setting and rising solar and is deeply rooted within the cultural traditions of Bihar, jap Uttar Pradesh and components of Delhi. With hundreds of thousands travelling residence for the celebrations, the pageant persistently results in one of many heaviest passenger actions of the 12 months.

Based on the Ministry, this 12 months’s particular service plan underscores the Railways’ “continued dedication to offering secure, dependable and comfy journey throughout India’s main festivals”.