Railways is running a total of 12,011 Special Trains for the benefit of passengers travelling on account of Diwali / Chhath Puja festival. These Festival Specials are expected to facilitate travel for over 1 crore passengers providing convenient travel options to destinations across the country.
Vijay Kumar, General Manager, Central Railway informed that out of these Central Railway is operating 1998 Diwali Special trips (both Reserved and Unreserved), of which will help serve more than 30 lakh passengers providing convenient travel options to destinations such as Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Madhya Pradesh, among others.
Indian Railways has made extensive arrangements to cater to the surge in passenger demand during the ongoing festive season. Special holding areas have been developed / planned for effective crowd management at 76 major stations on 16 Zones of Indian Railways.
The General Manager emphasised that Central Railway has streamlined crowd management with provision of holding areas at 6 major stations viz: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT), Dadar, Pune, Nashik Road and Nagpur to accommodate the rush of passengers.
•At CSMT an area of 1200 Square Meters has been created,
•At LTT a total holding area of 10000 square meters has been created,
•At Pune station a holding area of 2000 Square meters has been created,
•At Nashik Road station a holding area of 1000 Square meters has been created and
•At Nagpur station a holding area of 1500 Square meters has been created
These holding areas can accommodate approximately 20,000 passengers at a time.
In addition to developing holding areas, following measures are being taken to ensure effective crowd management:
•Provision of covered shed, adequate light, ventilation, drinking water, fans, toilets, charging points, food stalls and passenger address system have been done.
•Platforms are being nominated well in advance and no change is being made in the platforms of the trains.
•Two crowded trains on island platforms are being avoided to ensure unhindered passage
•Regular announcements regarding timings of trains and other important information are being made
•Queue formation for the boarding of the passengers under the watchful eyes of RPF personnel and Commercial staff is ensured.
•Real-time monitoring of ticket availability and passenger trends are being done with the help of AI and War rooms.
•Sufficient Commercial staff & Ticket checking staff have been deployed for passenger assistance.
•Coordination with RPF and GRP for safety and security at major stations is being maintained.
With the efficient arrangements, enhanced passenger services, and a commitment to convenience and care, Central Railway is ensuring that every passenger during his or her rail journey during the festive season is served well.