NEW DELHI: With Diwali and Chhath Puja approaching, railway stations across several states are witnessing a massive rush of passengers travelling to their hometowns to celebrate the festivals with their families. The festive travel rush has resulted in overcrowded platforms, long queues and packed trains, making the journey difficult for thousands of commuters.From Delhi and Mumbai to Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, major railway stations are experiencing a sharp increase in passenger footfall as people make their way home for the celebrations. Several passengers are struggling to find space on trains, while others are having to wait for hours to board services to their destinations.Despite the Railways operating additional special trains and introducing several crowd-management measures, the surge in demand has left stations struggling to accommodate the large number of passengers. In some places, commuters have been seen pushing their way into packed coaches, while others have been forced to wait for extended periods or look for alternative modes of transport to reach home.The rush is particularly significant on routes connecting major cities with Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and other eastern states, where a large number of passengers are travelling for Diwali, Govardhan Puja and Chhath Puja.
Railway minister announces additional special trains, crowd-management measures
Amid the increasing passenger rush, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the Railways had started preparations for the festive season six months ago. The arrangements include operating additional special trains, setting up holding areas at major stations and introducing measures to regulate passenger movement.Speaking about the arrangements, Vaishnaw said the number of special trains had increased significantly this year to accommodate the additional demand during the festive season.He said the Railways operated around 75,000 special trains in the last financial year, while the number had crossed 80,000 this year.“First of all, my warm greetings on Diwali. It is a very auspicious festival, and this is the peak traffic season for the Railways, with Durga Puja, Diwali and Chhath celebrations. Every year, we make efforts to introduce improvements, and these efforts have brought arrangements to a certain level today.”Highlighting the crowd-management arrangements, the minister said holding areas had been created at around 20 stations to prevent passengers from gathering directly on platforms while waiting for their trains.“Whether it is crowd management, special trains or creating separate holding areas for passengers before they board trains, these arrangements have improved significantly. Holding areas have been set up at around 20 stations where passengers can wait comfortably for their trains,” minister added.He also spoke about shifting ticket counters and setting up additional scanning facilities to improve passenger movement and prevent long queues inside stations.“Ticket counters have been shifted from inside stations to these holding areas for easier access. Several scanning counters have also been set up to enable parallel scanning and prevent long queues. Around 75,000 special trains were operated in the last financial year, while the number has crossed 80,000 this year,” minister said.Vaishnaw further said the number of special trains operated during the festive season had increased from around 12,000 last year to 18,000 additional special trains this year. He also mentioned the installation of AI-enabled cameras at various locations to strengthen crowd monitoring.“During the festive season, around 12,000 special trains were operated last year, compared to 18,000 additional special trains this year, despite several trains being converted into regular services. Around 700 AI-enabled cameras have also been installed at various locations. The peak rush was during Dhanteras, while the crowd is relatively lower on Chhoti Diwali. Another peak is expected three days before Chhath. Preparations for the festive rush began six months ago,” minister said.
Delhi: Passenger Facilitation Centre set up at Anand Vihar station
In the national capital, the growing rush of passengers travelling to their hometowns for Diwali and Chhath Puja has prompted the Railways to introduce additional arrangements at Anand Vihar Railway Station.The station has a permanent holding area, named the Passenger Facilitation Centre, which has been set up to manage crowds and prevent stampede-like situations on platforms. The facility currently provides seating arrangements and ticket counters, allowing passengers to wait in a designated area before boarding their trains.The arrangement is aimed at reducing congestion on platforms, particularly during periods of heavy passenger movement, when large numbers of people gather at stations to board trains to their hometowns.Meanwhile, Gurgaon has also witnessed severe overcrowding at railway and metro stations as passengers head home for Diwali. Packed trains, long queues at bus terminals and a shortage of available transport have added to the difficulties faced by commuters.With many people trying to reach their destinations during the festive period, some passengers have also turned to informal modes of transport to complete their journeys.
Mumbai: Rush of passengers at LTT as people head to eastern states
In Mumbai, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) has witnessed a heavy rush of passengers travelling to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and other eastern states after Diwali, ahead of Chhath Puja.The terminus is among the major departure points for passengers heading towards eastern India, with several services connecting Mumbai to destinations across Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand.Central Railway is operating festival special trains alongside regular services to manage the additional passenger demand. LTT is handling around five to six eastbound trains every day, including services to Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Patna, Danapur, Muzaffarpur, Raxaul and destinations in Jharkhand.The additional services are intended to accommodate passengers travelling home for the festivals, particularly those heading to eastern states to celebrate Chhath Puja with their families.
Tamil Nadu: Migrant workers struggle to board packed trains
In Tamil Nadu, migrant workers from northern states have started travelling home from Tiruppur to celebrate Diwali with their families.However, the rush has made boarding trains difficult, with several services packed beyond capacity. Passengers are struggling to find space inside coaches as thousands attempt to travel to their hometowns during the festive season.Visuals from railway stations show commuters pushing their way into packed trains, while some passengers are seen clinging to footboards as they try to board.For workers travelling to Bihar and Jharkhand, the journey takes around 48 hours, passing through Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. The long-distance journey has become particularly difficult amid the shortage of available space on trains.Although the Railways has announced special festive trains, the additional capacity has fallen short of meeting the demand, with thousands of migrant workers heading home to celebrate Diwali, Govardhan Puja and Chhath Puja with their families.The rush highlights the challenges faced by migrant workers travelling long distances during the festive season, particularly on routes connecting southern states with northern and eastern India.
Uttar Pradesh: Heavy rush at Varanasi, Lucknow and Prayagraj railway stations
In Uttar Pradesh, several major railway stations are witnessing a significant increase in passenger traffic as migrant workers and families return home for Diwali and Chhath Puja.At Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction, passengers travelling from Delhi, Mumbai and Gujarat to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are struggling to find space on trains. The heavy rush has made boarding particularly difficult, with some passengers reportedly being forced to travel in makeshift hammocks or even inside train toilets.The situation has prompted the Railways to increase security arrangements at the station. Government Railway Police (GRP), Railway Protection Force (RPF) and commercial department personnel have been deployed in greater numbers to manage the crowds and ensure passenger safety.In Lucknow, Charbagh Railway Station and Alambagh Bus Station have also witnessed a massive rush as thousands of migrant workers and families make their way home for the festivals.The increase in passenger movement at these transport hubs reflects the demand for travel services during the festive period, with people from different parts of the country returning to their hometowns to celebrate with their families.Prayagraj railway station has also witnessed a heavy rush of passengers amid the festive season. With large numbers of people travelling to their hometowns and other destinations, the railway administration has been placed on high alert.Officials are focusing on ensuring the safety and convenience of passengers as the station handles the increased footfall during the festive travel period.
Gujarat: Passengers wait for hours at Surat’s Udhna station
In Gujarat, Udhna railway station in Surat has witnessed a heavy rush of passengers ahead of Diwali, with commuters waiting in queues for up to 12 hours to board trains.The increase in passenger footfall has added to the pressure on railway services, particularly for those travelling to their hometowns during the festive season.To manage the additional demand, Western Railway has notified more than 70 special trains from Surat and Udhna to various destinations.Vineet Abhishek, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of Western Railway, said passenger footfall rises significantly during festival seasons and summer travel periods, resulting in high demand for train services.“Whenever festival seasons like Holi, Diwali, Chhath, or summer travel periods arrive, there is a very high demand for trains, leading to heavy passenger footfall at the stations. To prevent any issues, overcrowding, or stampede-like situations, it is essential to ensure passengers avoid waiting directly on the platforms,” he said.His remarks highlight the importance of crowd-management arrangements at stations during periods of heavy passenger movement, particularly to prevent overcrowding and stampede-like situations on platforms.
Festive rush expected to increase ahead of Chhath Puja
With the festive travel season continuing, the Railways expects another major surge in passenger traffic ahead of Chhath Puja. Vaishnaw said the next peak rush was expected around three days before the festival.The Railways has introduced several measures, including additional special trains, holding areas, ticket counters outside station premises, scanning facilities and AI-enabled cameras, to manage the increase in passenger movement.However, the situation at railway stations across Delhi, Mumbai, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat shows the scale of demand during the festive period. Despite the additional services and crowd-management arrangements, passengers continue to face difficulties finding space on trains and reaching their destinations.With another peak in passenger movement expected ahead of Chhath Puja, railway stations are likely to remain busy as people continue travelling home to celebrate the festivals with their families.
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