Indian Railways has announced a large-scale plan to operate more than 400 special trains during two of the country’s biggest festive seasons, the Jagannath Rath Yatra in Odisha and Onam in Kerala to accommodate the expected rise in passenger traffic.
The announcement was made by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw during a virtual event from Rail Sadan in Bhubaneswar.
According to the Ministry of Railways, more than 300 special trains will be operated for the Jagannath Rath Yatra, while over 100 special train services have been planned for the Onam festival. The additional services are expected to provide convenient travel options for pilgrims, tourists and festival-goers travelling across different parts of the country.
The Jagannath Rath Yatra in Puri attracts millions of devotees every year, making it one of India’s largest religious gatherings. The special train services are aimed at ensuring smooth movement of passengers travelling to and from Odisha during the festival period.
Similarly, Onam, Kerala’s biggest annual festival, witnesses heavy travel demand as people return to their hometowns to celebrate with their families. The additional train services are expected to ease congestion on regular routes and improve passenger convenience.
During the event, Vaishnaw flagged off the Nanded-Mumbai Express and the Tanakpur-Nanded Express. He also inaugurated the extension of the Tanakpur-Pilibhit rail service up to Shahjahanpur.
The Railway Minister said the new services would improve connectivity and offer greater travel convenience to passengers in several regions.
The Tanakpur-Nanded Express is expected to benefit members of the Sikh community living in the Terai region of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand by providing better access to Takht Hazur Sahib, one of Sikhism’s most important pilgrimage centres.
Vaishnaw also said that requests seeking additional halts at Khatima and Banbasa stations would be examined by the Railways.
The newly launched Nanded-Mumbai Express is expected to strengthen rail connectivity for passengers from districts such as Washim, Hingoli and Basmat, providing faster and more convenient access to Mumbai.
Railway officials believe the service will benefit both daily commuters and long-distance travellers by improving transportation links in the region.
Highlighting recent achievements, the Railway Minister said Indian Railways successfully operated a record 15,000 special trains during the summer travel season, which concluded on June 30.
The large-scale operation helped manage peak travel demand and facilitated the movement of millions of passengers across the country during the holiday period.
Vaishnaw also highlighted the rapid expansion of railway infrastructure in recent years. According to the minister, nearly 37,000 kilometres of new railway lines have been laid across the country over the past 12 years.
He added that railway electrification has reached 99.6 percent, bringing Indian Railways closer to achieving full electrification of its network.
