Dehri to Garhwa Road: New Puja Special Trains Launched
To tackle the massive influx of commuters during the festive season, the East Central Railway has officially rolled out a daily unreserved Puja special train service. This new service aims to provide much-needed relief to passengers traveling between Dehri On Sone and Garhwa Road for the upcoming Durga Puja and Devi Dham Mela.
Service Details and Timings
The newly introduced service utilizes a 14-coach rake and is designed to accommodate the high demand expected during the holidays. The special trains will operate daily from October 16, 2026, to October 20, 2026.
Passengers can identify the service by the following train numbers:
- 03657 (Up)
- 03658 (Down)
The train is scheduled to depart from Dehri On Sone at 12:00 PM, reaching Garhwa Road by 3:30 PM. For the return journey, the train will depart from Garhwa Road at 6:00 PM. The service will stop at various large and small stations along the route to ensure accessibility for all commuters.
First Run Experience
The inaugural journey of the service took place on October 16. While the train was scheduled to depart Dehri at noon, it experienced a delay of one hour and 15 minutes, eventually departing at 1:15 PM.
A Response to Public Demand
The deployment of these special trains comes as a direct response to passenger requests brought to the attention of Palamu Member of Parliament, B.D. Ram. This localized initiative is part of a massive nationwide effort by the Ministry of Railways.
The Ministry of Railways has announced a total of 8,454 special train trips between October 1 and November 30, 2026, to manage travel demands during Durga Puja, Diwali, and Chhath.
Massive Festive Railway Network
East Central Railway is playing a significant role in this festive rollout, having notified over 17 pairs of festival special trains. These services connect major Bihar junctions to vital transit hubs, including:
- Delhi
- Punjab
- Mumbai
- Pune
- Bengaluru
- Hyderabad
Other railway zones are also heavily involved in handling the festive rush. The Eastern Railway has scheduled 1,354 special trips, while the Central Railway has introduced 418 services to ensure smooth travel for millions of passengers across the country.