Indian Railways Announces 1,053 Special Train Trips For Diwali, Durga Puja Rush; Check Routes

North Central Railway (NCR) has announced 1,053 Trains on Demand (TOD) trips to manage the expected passenger rush during the upcoming festive season. The services will operate from October 1 to November 30, covering 61 days and coinciding with major festivals including Durga Puja, Diwali and Chhath. Want to know more about it? Read on!

North Central Railways Announces 1000+ Trains For Diwali

According to reports by The Indian Express, the additional trains are aimed at giving passengers more travel options, particularly those who may struggle to secure confirmed tickets on regular services while travelling to their hometowns for the festive period. According to NCR Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Dr Shivam Sharma, the list of special services could be expanded further depending on passenger demand.

The NCR special services will connect several major destinations, including Kolkata, Prayagraj, Kanpur Central, New Delhi, Palwal, Anand Vihar Terminal, Virangana Lakshmibai Jhansi, Hazrat Nizamuddin, Gwalior, Dadri, Pune, Hadapsar, Khajuraho, Tiruchanur and Agra Cantonment. The trains will operate at different frequencies depending on demand. While some services will run only once during the festive period, others will operate weekly or twice a week. NCR is also monitoring waiting lists and booking trends to identify routes that may need additional services.

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Railway authorities are also preparing for the expected rush at major stations. NCR plans to deploy additional commercial and Railway Protection Force personnel for crowd management, while cleanliness and passenger assistance will also receive additional attention during the festive period.

More Special Festive Trains Added Across India

The festive travel push is not limited to NCR. Indian Railways has announced more than 100 additional special trains across various zones for Durga Puja, Diwali and Chhath, connecting high-demand routes across Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, Uttar Pradesh and other states. Eastern Railway, for instance, has announced special services connecting Kolkata with destinations including Raxaul, Patna, Sitamarhi, Gorakhpur and Madhubani. Additional services have also been announced towards North Bengal and Assam.

Several long-distance routes are also getting extra capacity. A new New Delhi-Howrah special, for example, will operate between October 2 and November 29, offering an additional option on one of the country’s busiest corridors.

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With special trains and additional road transport being added across key corridors, passengers travelling during the Durga Puja, Diwali and Chhath period are expected to have more options beyond regular services.

Have you booked your tickets for the festive season?

Cover Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons