Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Tuesday that Indian Railways will add about 7,800 extra special trains to handle the expected surge of travellers for Diwali and Chhath. The plan comes as the ministry keeps a tight eye on the festive rush through a network of “War Rooms” that monitor traffic in real time.
During a visit to New Delhi Railway Station, Vaishnaw walked through the platforms, checked the on‑ground arrangements, and met passengers. He also toured the RPF Control Room on Platform 1 and the First Aid Room, speaking with doctors about the services their teams are providing.
Indian Railways has set up a dedicated command centre at Rail Bhawan. From there, officials track trains across the country, address congestion, and resolve passenger complaints as they happen. The War Room network now spans more than 80 locations at the railway board, zonal, and divisional levels, giving the ministry 24‑hour oversight over the rail network.
Vaishnaw highlighted that Delhi alone sees about 425,000 outbound passengers each day during peak holiday periods. Major hubs such as Surat, Mumbai, Coimbatore, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru are under continuous surveillance, and even moving trains are being monitored to keep travel smooth and safe.
Between October 1 and October 20, Indian Railways has already run 4,211 special trains, carrying over 1 crore passengers. In the New Delhi catchment, 21.04 lakh passengers travelled from October 16 to 20—up 1.33 lakh from the same window last year. The ministry says the special‑train count for the festive season will rise to 12,011 from 7,724 in 2024, ensuring enough seats for the holiday rush.
At Jaipur station, passengers can now buy tickets directly in holding areas through the Special Mobile Unreserved Ticketing System (M‑UTS), which keeps lines moving and improves overall experience. In the Vadodara Division of Western Railway, more than 30 lakh passengers have already travelled to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal via regular services and five special trains. The division has issued over 70 “festival special” train trips for the holiday period.
These measures aim to make the Diwali and Chhath travel season safer and more convenient for millions of Indian travelers.
Source: ianslive
Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in world News on Latest NewsX. Follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter(X), Gettr and subscribe our Youtube Channel.
