Centre rolls out 7,663 extra trains to clear festive season rush

The Railway Board has introduced another 7,663 special train services to cater to the festival season rush, from October 1 to November 30, which is a 73 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.

According to a Railway Board press statement, “For the Pooja/Diwali/Chhath rush 2024, a total of 7,663 special train services have been notified. Last year, only 4,429 trips were operated during this period.”

Indian Railways has transported 957.24 lakh non-suburban passengers during the Diwali and Chhath celebrations from October 24 to November 4, compared to 923.33 lakh passengers during the same period last year, which represents an increase of 33.91 lakh passengers, the statement said.

On November 4 alone, over 1.2 crore passengers utilised the services, including 19.43 lakh reserved and over 1.01 crore unreserved non-suburban travellers, marking the highest single-day passenger figure for the current year. As many as 207 special trains were run on November 3 and 203 on November 4 to accommodate the surge in passengers, the statement added.

The announcement by the Railway Board comes amid social media posts showing overcrowding in trains and passengers rushing to get into coaches through the windows at some stations.

Last week, Indian Railways had issued a statement stating it is making every effort to ensure safe travel for the passengers and avoid any untoward incidents.

"Transporting people across India during Diwali and Chhath is a challenging task, but after successfully managing similar operations during Navratri and Durga Puja, Indian Railways is now fully prepared to help the commuters reach their native places for the ongoing Diwali and the upcoming Chhath celebrations," the statement said.

It also urged the passengers that if they come across any suspicious substances on railway premises, they should inform the Railway Protection Force (RPF) using the designated helpline 139 and the RailMadad portal.

Enhanced luggage inspections and parcel checks, alongside monitoring of vendors and hawkers using portable stoves are also underway since October 15 to prevent any fire risks.