As Diwali celebrations start in India, the Western Railway (WR) has announced that it will run 200 special trains for the Diwali and Chhath Puja festive season. Over 120 of these trains are set to operate on Tuesday, October 29. Among these, about 40 trains will be managed by the Mumbai Division, with 22 trains specifically heading to popular destinations in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, and Odisha.
The Indian Railways stated that these special trains will supplement regular services, and several extra coaches have been added to meet the festive demand. Vineet Abhishek, the Chief Public Relations Officer of Western Railway, mentioned that they are committed to accommodating the rising number of passengers during this festive time. They are closely monitoring the new services with senior officers overseeing the situation and checking train waitlists every day.
In addition, the Eastern Railways has also announced the operation of 50 special trains and 400 additional services during Diwali and Chhath Puja. Kaushik Mitra, the PRO of Eastern Railways, shared that this year, they have increased the number of special trains from 33 to 50, ensuring that more passengers can travel during the festive season compared to last year.
After the tragic stampede incident at Mumbai’s Bandra station, Indian Railways is taking extra safety measures. They are deploying more staff and following safety protocols at busy stations like Bandra Terminus, Surat, Udhna, Vadodara, and Ahmedabad. To help control crowding, platform sales will be restricted at key Mumbai Division stations until November 8, 2024.
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To manage the crowds effectively, Western Railways has created a spacious waiting area at Bandra Terminus, which can hold up to 600 passengers. This area is well-lit and includes fans, water fountains, and toilets, along with a public announcement system to keep travellers informed. Similar waiting areas are available at Udhna and Surat stations. Additionally, they have set up extra ticket counters and machines at key stations to accommodate the increased number of passengers during the festive season.