Northern Railway Plans Record 3,144 Festival-Special Train Trips from October to November 2024

The Northern Railway has announced an unprecedented 3,144 special train trips from October 1 to November 30. This initiative aims to facilitate travel for passengers heading home for festivals. Ashok Kumar Verma, General Manager of Northern Railway, stated that 85% of these trains will serve routes towards the East, including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Assam.

Increased Capacity for Festive Travel

From October 26 to November 7, 195 special train trips are scheduled to accommodate Diwali and Chhath festival travellers. Last year, only 138 trips were made during this period. Verma highlighted that during these 13 days, Northern Railway will run 65 additional trains daily from Delhi, offering 1.20 lakh extra berths.

Regular trains will also contribute by making 123 special trips to manage the passenger surge. Additionally, from October 26 to November 7, 49 extra coaches will be attached to key trains. These efforts aim to ensure a smooth and comfortable journey for all passengers.

Connecting Major Destinations

Special trains will link significant destinations nationwide. Routes include Delhi/New Delhi/Anand Vihar Terminal to Patna, Danapur, Muzaffarpur, Jogbani, Saharsa, Jaynagar, Katihar, Darbhanga, Gorakhpur, Raxaul, Varanasi, Gaya, and Shri Vaishno Devi Katra. A total of 1,70,434 extra berths will be available during this period compared to last year's 1,48,750.

Approximately 54,000 additional unreserved passenger capacities will be provided in special trains this year. Last year saw an increase of only 41,000 unreserved seats. The Northern Railway also plans to operate unannounced special trains if necessary.

Innovations in Crowd Management

Verma shared innovative crowd management strategies at New Delhi Railway Station for Diwali and Chhath Puja. Popular eastbound trains like Bihar Sampark Kranti and Sampoorn Kranti will depart from Platform Number 16. For the first time, there will be a separate entry for queuing unreserved passengers.

A mini-control room staffed by personnel from various departments will be established at New Delhi NDLS, Old Delhi DLI, Anand Vihar Terminal ANVT & Hazrat Nizamudin NZM stations. Temporary waiting areas with pandals and various facilities have been set up to manage crowds effectively.

Enhanced Security Measures

Special security arrangements are in place at New Delhi, Old Delhi, Anand Vihar Terminal, and Hazrat Nizamudin railway stations. Dog squads and baggage scanners/metal detectors will be deployed at all entry gates. Hand-held metal detectors and manned entry gates are part of the security measures.

Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay, Chief Public Relations Officer of Northern Railway, mentioned that mega mikes and nylon ropes are available at foot overbridges and platforms. These measures aim to ensure a safe and orderly environment for all passengers during the festive season.