Railways Operates 18,000 Special Trains and Enhances Infrastructure to Manage Festive Rush

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that the Railways has strengthened crowd management arrangements at major railway stations and terminals to handle heavy passenger traffic during the festive season. Around 18,000 special trains have been operated this year to facilitate travel during Diwali, Durga Puja, and Chhath.

During a visit to the Anand Vihar Terminal, Vaishnaw noted that holding areas have been established to manage large crowds and provide better facilities for passengers during peak travel periods. He interacted with passengers at the terminal, who expressed satisfaction with the arrangements, and added that the operational framework continues to incorporate learnings from previous years.

Highlighting infrastructure bottlenecks, the minister pointed to congestion on the foot overbridge (FOB) connecting the Anand Vihar Terminal with the Delhi Metro, Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), and the bus stand. Officials have been instructed to conduct an immediate survey to examine the widening of the FOB or the construction of a subway ahead of the next festive season.

“There is a FOB, which brings DMRC, RRTS and Bus Stand passengers. There is a lot of crowd on that FOB. I have instructed the authorities to survey it immediately. As soon as the Diwali and Chhath season is complete, according to the preparation for next year, either the FOB should be widened, or a subway should be built,” Vaishnaw said.

The minister noted that the operation of approximately 18,000 special trains has enabled more than two crore passengers to travel during the Diwali, Pooja, and rush season. Vaishnaw stated that the festive rush will continue, with another peak expected ahead of Chhath, following heavy passenger movement during Dhanteras and Chhoti Diwali.

Arrangements have been implemented across several major stations and terminals, including Hazrat Nizamuddin, New Delhi, Shakur Basti, and Anand Vihar. Additionally, the Railway Chairman, General Managers, and Divisional Railway Managers have been instructed to mobilise additional trains within a few hours during peak periods in response to passenger feedback requesting increased capacity.

"Large-scale logistics and crowd management present massive operational challenges during peak festive seasons. The proactive deployment of special trains alongside targeted infrastructure upgrades, such as improving terminal connectivity, demonstrates the critical role of data-driven capacity planning and swift execution in managing high-volume consumer demand." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes