The Central Railway (CR) will run Diwali and Chhath Puja special trains to ease the extra festive rush, mostly for north India. Out of 1,702 special trains, 800 trains are being operated to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Northeast India, and even western and southern regions. The special train announced by the Indian Railways to help passengers reach their homes and celebrate the festival with their families and friends. Every year, on the occasion of Diwali and Chhath Puja, trains and stations witness overcrowding. To curb this, CR has announced special trains.
"These trains will start from stations such as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, Pune, Kolhapur, and Nagpur," Centra Railway CPRO Swapnil Nila said.
Extra ticket counters have been set up at major stations for the convenience and safety of the passengers. Adequate crowd management and control measures have also been taken, like creation of holding areas, additional booking windows and shifts, adequate RPF, GRP, Ticket checking and booking staff with close monitoring by a senior officer.
Additionally, Major stations - Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, Pune, Nagpur, and Nashik Road - have been equipped with large holding areas, help booths, enhanced RPF deployment, and additional ticket-checking staff. Passenger amenities such as drinking water, fans, mobile toilets, and food stalls are provided for convenience. Special trains, barricades, and real-time information systems will ensure smooth passenger flow. The coordinated efforts of all departments aim to ensure safe, comfortable, and efficient travel for lakhs of passengers during the festive period.
Passengers first come to the holding areas where there are adequate facilities for sitting, lighting, drinking water and toilet facilities. Drinking water bottles are also being distributed to the passengers waiting in the queues.