Indian Railways has launched special trains and enhanced facilities at key stations nationwide, aiming to ensure a smooth and safe journey for passengers.
Dilip Kumar, Executive Director of Information and Publicity for the Railway Board, announced that more than 160 special trains ran on Thursday, with over 170 scheduled for today. Key stations, including New Delhi, Anand Vihar, Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Mumbai, Bandra, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Bengaluru, have set up additional support systems to manage the holiday rush.
“To facilitate safe travel during Chhath Puja, we’ve added extra trains to routes leading to Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Security teams from the Government Railway Police (GRP) and Railway Protection Force (RPF) are stationed at crowded hubs, and Rail Sewaks are available to assist passengers with inquiries,” Kumar said. To enhance passenger comfort, special trains are outfitted with additional coaches, and hundreds of CCTV cameras have been installed to monitor stations.
Ticketing is available both online and offline, with unreserved seats accessible for those without confirmed tickets. Dedicated support for senior citizens and physically challenged travelers is provided by Rail Sevaks, along with restricted station access to streamline traffic.
Passengers have praised Indian Railways for managing overcrowding and improving safety at stations. Shailendra, a State Bank of India employee, expressed gratitude for the extra arrangements, adding, “Indian Railways has ensured safe travel for passengers during Chhath this year. I’m grateful for these efforts.”
Bhushan, another passenger traveling from New Delhi to Patna, commended the railways for organized crowd management, added ticketing options, and cleanliness improvements, while Saineesh Kumar, also headed to Patna, noted the cleanliness at stations and smooth ticket booking experience.
With Chhath being a significant festival in Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Bihar, Indian Railways is working to maintain order at New Delhi station and other busy locations. Food stalls offer reasonably priced options for passengers, while RPF desks and constant CCTV monitoring further enhance security.
(Inputs from ANI)
