New Delhi: As travel surges ahead of the Chhath festivities, in addition to the regular train services, 1500 special trains will be run during the next five days with an average of 300 specials per day, a press release by the Ministry of Railways said.
Indian Railways is ensuring that every passenger during their rail journey during the festive season is served well. Besides regular trains, 4,493 special train trips in the last 21 Days, averaging 213 trips daily, helped the passengers reach home safely for Diwali festivities.
According to the press release, for the upcoming Chhath Puja and ongoing Diwali season this year, Indian Railways is running a robust special train schedule to manage the festive travel rush. Over a duration of 61 days, from October 1 to November 30, more than 12,000 special trains are being operated across the country.
So far, a total of 11,865 trips (916 trains) have been notified, including 9,338 reserved and 2,203 unreserved trips. This marks a significant increase from last year, when 7,724 Puja and Diwali special trains were run, reflecting Indian Railways’ continued commitment to ensuring smooth and convenient travel during the festive season.
Through 12,000+ Special Trains across the nation — Indian Railways stands as a symbol of service and reliability. pic.twitter.com/eEfCyWK4U7
— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) October 22, 2025
On October 19, Indian Railways facilitated over 36,000 passengers at Udhna Station, a 50 per cent increase from the same day in 2024. All passengers boarded trains by 4 PM, reaching home in time to celebrate Diwali with their families. To manage the surge, coordinated efforts were made to control crowds. A dedicated holding area and numerous ticket counters were set up for passenger convenience. Over the last five days, more than 1.2 lakh people travelled from Udhna.
Passengers praised Indian Railways for the better experience they felt this time. One passenger who shared his experience for cleanliness, safety, and overall upkeep of Jabalpur Railway Station, highlighted well-maintained platforms, organised premises and improved hygiene standards.
A passenger travelling from Bengaluru to Kolkata praised Indian Railways for its clean coaches, courteous staff, and efficient service during the festive rush, the press release stated.
Madan Kumar Yadav praised the impressive railway system, online ticketing, and orderly queueing at the station. He also appreciated the RPF’s vigilance in ensuring passenger safety and seat allocation during the festive travel rush.
भारतीय रेल की स्पेशल ट्रेन सेवाएँ, त्योहारों के इस मौसम में यात्रियों के सफर को बना रही हैं और भी सुखद। pic.twitter.com/hQ6tfLqyL4
— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) October 22, 2025
At Ahmedabad Railway Station, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) provided special assistance to disabled and sick passengers, ensuring their safe and comfortable boarding onto trains.
Meanwhile railway authorities in Sealdah have also strengthened arrangements to manage the festive rush. Divisional Railway Managers (DRM) said 136 trains, including 8 special services, are being operated, with holding areas, water facilities, and a war room set up to monitor crowds round the clock.
From Kolkata to Ambala and Visakhapatnam, railway officials are making all efforts to handle the festive rush.
Speaking to ANI, Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Sealdah, Rajeev Saxena, said the Eastern Railway has taken extensive steps to manage the increased foot traffic.
“We have operated 136 trains this time…8 special trains are also being operated from Kolkata…We have also created a holding area in Sealdah and Kolkata where passengers arriving early will be accommodated…To monitor the crowd, we have set up a war room, which receives live feeds from our stations…We have a large number of RPF staff… We have also availed the facilities of ex-servicemen,” he said.
Senior Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Jasram Meena, Sealdah, told ANI that extensive planning for Chhath Puja began months in advance.
“For this, we conduct an exercise 2-3 months in advance to decide how many trains we want to run in which areas…This year we have planned 136 trains…We have scheduled 8 additional trains…From the war room, we keep a round-the-clock watch on Sealdah and Kolkata stations…We have arranged water facilities and created a holding area…Manpower is available there around the clock…We also keep M-UTS (Mobile Unreserved Ticketing System) employees at the end of the queues,” Meena said.
In Ambala, Haryana, Union Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu inspected arrangements at Ambala railway station on Wednesday, reassuring passengers of ample train availability.
“There is no shortage of trains… There is no problem anywhere. Monitoring is being done by setting up a war room… I request the passengers not to panic. Passengers should not travel in the bathroom; another train will arrive. It is our responsibility to get you to your destination before Chhath Puja,” Bittu told reporters.
Meanwhile, in the Visakhapatnam Division, Lalit Bohra, Divisional Railway Manager of Waltair, said that Indian Railways is operating an extensive network of special services to meet the festival demand.
“Because of the festival rush, the number of passengers has increased substantially. The Indian Railway has taken various initiatives to ensure that travel is comfortable. Indian Railways is running more than 12,000 special trains to clear the festival rush. The Waltair Division is running about 209 special trains. Out of which, 67 trains are originating from the division, and the remaining are bypassing, so they have a halt at various stations… About more than 600 extra coaches are added,” Bohra added.
Every year, the auspicious festival of Chhath Puja commences with an oblation to the setting sun and concludes with an oblation to the rising sun. The four-day-long festival is celebrated with fervor in the states of Bihar, parts of Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and other Bharatiya states
The festival starts with Nahay-Khay on the Chaturthi Tithi of Kartik Shukla Paksha, focusing on purification and preparation. This is followed by Kharna on Panchami Tithi, Chhath Puja on Sashti, and concludes with Usha Arghya on Saptami Tithi. This year, it spans from October 25 to 28.
(With inputs from ANI)
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