- विज्ञापन -
The Railway Board has announced the rollout of 7,663 special train services to accommodate the surge of passengers during the festival season, operating from October 1 to November 30. This represents a 73% increase compared to the same timeframe last year.
According to a statement from the Railway Board, “For the Pooja/Diwali/Chhath rush in 2024, we have scheduled a total of 7,663 special trains. Last year, only 4,429 special trips were made during this period.”
During the Diwali and Chhath celebrations from October 24 to November 4, Indian Railways transported 957.24 lakh non-suburban passengers, an increase from 923.33 lakh passengers during the same dates the previous year, marking an increase of 33.91 lakh passengers.
On November 4 alone, over 1.2 crore passengers used the railway services, including 19.43 lakh reserved and more than 1.01 crore unreserved non-suburban travelers, making it the busiest single day of the year so far. To manage this increase, 207 special trains were operated on November 3, and 203 on November 4.
The Railway Board’s announcement follows social media reports of overcrowding in trains, with passengers seen trying to board through windows at various stations.
Last week, Indian Railways confirmed its commitment to ensuring the safety of passengers and preventing incidents, highlighting that managing travel during Diwali and Chhath presents significant challenges. After successfully handling similar operations during Navratri and Durga Puja, Indian Railways expressed confidence in its readiness to assist commuters traveling to their hometowns for these festivals.
The Board urged passengers to report any suspicious items found at railway stations to the Railway Protection Force (RPF) via the helpline 139 and the RailMadad portal.
Enhanced inspections of luggage and parcels, as well as monitoring of vendors and hawkers using portable stoves, have been initiated since October 15 to mitigate fire hazards.
