Western Railway rolls out 200 special trains for Diwali, Chhath Puja rush

To handle festive travel demand for Diwali and Chhath Puja, Western Railway launches 200 special trains, enhances crowd management and safety measures at key stations across Mumbai Division

With the onset of Diwali festivities in India, Western Railway (WR) has scheduled 200 special trains to meet the high travel demand for the Diwali and Chhath Puja season. On October 29, over 120 of these trains are set to operate, the Indian Railways said.

 

Among these, around 40 trains will be managed by the Mumbai Division, with 22 specifically routed to key destinations in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, and Odisha.

 

Enhanced services to manage festive crowds

 

Indian Railways stated that these special trains will run alongside regular services, with additional coaches attached to handle the surge in passenger traffic. Vineet Abhishek, chief public relations officer of Western Railway, said these measures reflect the railway’s commitment to meet rising demand during the festive period.

 

Abhishek added that both divisional and headquarters teams are closely monitoring these services with real-time tracking of waitlists to address demand effectively.

Eastern Railway adds 50 extra trains

In line with these efforts, Eastern Railway has introduced 50 special trains and 400 additional services to support Diwali and Chhath Puja travel. Eastern Railway public relations officer Kaushik Mitra noted that the number of special trains has increased from 33 last year to 50 this season.

Safety measures heightened after Mumbai stampede incident

Following the recent stampede at Mumbai’s Bandra station, Indian Railways has deployed maximum staff at critical stations, including Bandra Terminus, Surat, Udhna, Vadodara, and Ahmedabad. To control crowds, platform ticket sales at select Mumbai Division stations—such as Mumbai Central, Dadar, Bandra Terminus, and Borivali—have been temporarily halted until November 8.

 

WR’s Vineet Abhishek highlighted several proactive steps to manage crowds effectively at major stations. At Bandra Terminus, a 370 sq m holding area with amenities such as lighting, fans, water fountains, and toilets has been set up to accommodate 600 passengers. Public announcement systems keep passengers informed about train schedules, enhancing the boarding experience.

 

Additional holding areas are also in place at Udhna and Surat stations, with a designated waiting area near Platform Number 4 at Surat. Furthermore, WR has deployed 50 licensed helpers along the Surat-Udhna route and positioned banners and stands displaying special train details for ease of navigation.

 

To accommodate the increased footfall, extra ticket counters and automatic ticket vending machines (ATVMs) are fully operational at Bandra Terminus, Surat, and Udhna, with additional shifts at Vapi and Valsad stations, ensuring passengers have ample access to ticketing services.