To accommodate the heavy passenger rush for the Chhath festival following Diwali, the Indian Railways has initiated measures to provide confirmed tickets for travelers heading from Lucknow towards Bihar and Purvanchal. The primary initiative involves adding extra coaches to several high-demand trains to clear the growing waiting lists.

The Chhath festival is scheduled to begin this year on October 25 with 'Nahay Khay' and will conclude on October 28. Consequently, a significant travel surge is expected from October 24, with long waiting lists already forming on trains bound for districts like Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Ghazipur, Deoria and Ballia, as well as various destinations in Bihar. More than three dozen trains, including the Gorakhpur Intercity, Gwalior-Barauni Express, Utsarg Express, Lucknow-Barauni Express, and Lucknow-Chhapra Express, are experiencing extensive waitlists in both sleeper and AC classes.

To address this, the Lucknow railway division is preparing to attach 34 extra coaches to a total of 17 trains. This move is expected to confirm the tickets of approximately 2,800 waitlisted passengers. The railway administration has ordered the arrangement of additional sleeper and AC coaches for key services such as the Lucknow-Barauni Express, Lucknow-Chhapra Express, Utsarg Express, and Krishak Express.

In addition to augmenting existing services, the railways has already launched special festival trains to Bihar from major hubs like Anand Vihar and New Delhi. Security at all major stations has also been significantly increased, with additional Railway Protection Force (RPF) contingents deployed. Assistance from the Railway Protection Special Force (RPSF) will be sought if required.

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Furthermore, a special monitoring cell has been created at the divisional level to oversee passenger amenities, including drinking water availability and station cleanliness. This cell comprises officials from all relevant railway departments, including commercial, mechanical, engineering, signals, safety, and security, to ensure a smooth and safe travel experience for passengers during the festive period.

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