NEW DELHI: The Railways will operate approximately 12,000 special trains to accommodate the festive surge during Diwali and Chhath. According to estimates, these trains are expected to transport around three crore additional passengers—surpassing the population of Australia—over a span of 45 days, commencing on October 1.
Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that an additional 150 completely unreserved trains will be prepared to manage any last-minute rush. 10,000 special trains have been officially announced, with more to be revealed progressively based on demand, he stated.
In the previous year, the national transporter ran 7,724 special trains, accommodating approximately 1.5 crore additional passengers during the festive period.
Vaishnaw noted that over 90% punctuality has been achieved in 29 out of 70 railway divisions. Regarding the introduction of Vande Bharat sleeper trains, he mentioned that the first rake is ready for deployment. “However, we will commence operations after receiving another rake, which is expected to arrive by October 15,” he added. Officials have not dismissed the possibility of the first train being dispatched to poll-bound Bihar.
