Indian Railways on Friday announced that it will run more than 12,000 “special trains” to Bihar ahead of the Chhath Puja festivities, expecting a surge in passenger traffic.
According to Kapinjal Kishore Sharma, CPRO, Northeast Frontier Railways (NFR), the trains will connect various stations across Bihar to ensure a safe and comfortable journey for passengers.
Speaking to ANI, Sharma said, “During the festive season, the crowd increases, especially during Diwali and Chhath Puja. Like every year, Indian Railways has arranged for special trains.”
The railways plan to run more than 12,000 special trains this year, a significant increase from around 7,500 trains operated during the same period last year.
These trains will run to various stations in Bihar to handle the high crowd during the festive season.
Improved crowd management and security
The CPRO further said that several key measures have been put in place to effectively manage crowds and prevent disruption at major terminals. Check-in areas equipped with the necessary seating arrangements and train information systems for the proper guidance of passengers have been created at the main stations.
He also added that the Railways has significantly increased the deployment of Railway Protection Personnel (RPF) and strengthened security measures through CCTV cameras and drones for constant surveillance. In addition, ticket vending machines have also been installed to reduce congestion at ticket counters.
Sharma told ANI, “We have created check-in areas at major stations to prevent passengers from rushing if crowds increase. These check-in areas have seating arrangements and a train information system… We have also increased the deployment of RPF and strengthened security measures through CCTV and drones… We have also installed automatic ticket vending machines… We wish everyone a safe and comfortable journey.”
When is Chhath Puja this year?
Chhath Puja, a festival dedicated to the Sun God, is widely celebrated across the country, especially in Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh.
The festival begins with Nahay-Khay on Chaturthi Tithi Kartik Shukla Paksha focusing on the ritual of purification and preparation. This event is followed by Kharna on Panchami Tithi, then the main Chhath Puja on Sashti. The festival concludes with Usha Arghya on Saptami Tithi.
This year, the Chhath Puja celebrations are scheduled to take place from October 25 to 28.
