Extra Coaches for Diwali & Chhath: Indian Railways Boosts Capacity
Indian Railways to run 15,000 trains to Bihar and add extra coaches to key routes to handle the Diwali and Chhath Puja passenger surge.
To manage the massive influx of passengers during the upcoming Diwali Chhath festive trains season, Indian Railways has initiated several measures to increase capacity across key routes. With millions expected to travel home, authorities are working to expand train compositions and introduce special services to alleviate the heavy festive rush.
Ambala Division Proposes Extra Coaches for Key Routes
The Ambala Railway Division has formally submitted a proposal to the Railway Headquarters to increase the capacity of several long-distance services. The plan involves attaching between two and four additional coaches to six specific trains to better accommodate the surge in passenger traffic.
The trains identified for these additional coaches include:
- Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express
- Chandigarh-Patliputra Express
- Ambala-Barauni Express
- Amritsar-Jaynagar Shaheed Express
- Kalka-Howrah Mail
- Chandigarh-Gorakhpur Express
Officials have noted that each additional sleeper coach can provide approximately 80 extra berths. However, the final implementation of these extra coaches remains subject to operational feasibility and the availability of coaches.
Massive Expansion of Train Services to Bihar
On a national scale, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has announced a significant expansion in operations to cater to the festive demand. Indian Railways is set to operate 15,000 trains to and from Bihar during this period, a notable increase from the usual 12,000 services.
Technical Upgrades to Train Composition
To maximize passenger capacity, the railway is working to extend the length of various train sets where technical parameters permit:
- LHB-rake trains: These are being extended to a total of 22 coaches.
- ICF-rake trains: These are being extended to a total of 24 coaches.
Special Trains and Passenger Guidance
Beyond the addition of coaches, the Northern and Eastern Railway zones are currently operating a network of both reserved and unreserved special trains. These services, including routes from Kolkata and Sealdah to destinations such as Jaynagar, Ballia, and Gorakhpur, are designed to reduce congestion on the main lines.
As many routes are currently facing high waitlist volumes, railway authorities have advised passengers to closely monitor the official IRCTC website and mobile application for real-time updates regarding seat availability and train schedules.