New Delhi: In a significant achievement, Indian Railways transported 65 lakh passengers on 4,521 special trains between October 1 and November 5, 2024, meeting the heightened travel demand during this year’s Durga Puja, Diwali, and Chhath Puja festivals. These additional services ensured smooth and comfortable travel for millions across the country, demonstrating Indian Railways’ commitment to enhancing accessibility during peak festival periods.
To handle the festive surge, Indian Railways had announced a total of 7,724 special trains for the period between October 1 and November 30, marking a 73% increase over last year’s 4,429 special trains. This expanded service network provided an average of 175 special trains per day over the past four days, enabling a large number of travelers to reach their destinations for Chhath Puja.
Indian Railways is now preparing for the anticipated return rush starting November 8, with 164 special trains scheduled to manage the high passenger flow after the Chhath Puja festival. Plans are also underway to add 160 special trains on November 9, 161 on November 10, and 155 on November 11, with extra trains allocated to meet the needs in key divisions like Samastipur and Danapur.
Highlighting the scale of its service, Indian Railways set a record on November 4 by transporting 120.72 lakh passengers in a single day, including 19.43 lakh reserved passengers and 101.29 lakh unreserved non-suburban passengers. Suburban traffic alone reached 180 lakh passengers, marking it as the busiest day of the year.
