In anticipation of heavy passenger traffic for Diwali and Chhath Puja, Northern Railway is operating special festival trains across the National Capital Region from October 15 to 27. A total of 349 trips have been scheduled initially, with additional unreserved trains ready to run at short notice in case of increased crowding.
Northern Railway General Manager Ashok Kumar Verma stated that this year, more festival trains are being run compared to last year’s 3,836 trips, with the current schedule including 4,718 trips until November 30. Extra coaches have been added to both special and regular trains, providing 2,70,532 seats, including 1,76,400 for general ticket holders.
The majority of the special trains, about 80 per cent, are eastbound to ensure passengers can reach their homes for Diwali and Chhath Puja. Key routes include Patna, Samastipur, Gaya, Bhagalpur, and Darbhanga in Bihar, and Dhanbad in Jharkhand. All tickets are reportedly selling out quickly, prompting authorities to keep around 12 rakes on standby at New Delhi, Anand Vihar Terminal, and Old Delhi stations.
To manage crowds and ensure passenger safety, several steps have been implemented:
-Permanent holding area on the Ajmeri Gate side of New Delhi Railway Station
-Temporary holding areas at Anand Vihar Terminal and Shakur Basti stations
-Deployment of 2,100 RPF personnel and 120 senior officials
-Additional staff: 126 ticket booking, 29 reservation ticket, and 45 ticket checking personnel
-35 digital walkie-talkies for communication
-Main control room at Northern Railway headquarters and mini control rooms at stations
Pre-printed tickets have been arranged for major stations in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand to reduce waiting times for general passengers. The railway administration has assured smooth travel arrangements for the festive season.