Indian Railways has ramped up connectivity from Gorakhpur to manage the heavy passenger rush expected during the upcoming festival season, specifically catering to the Shravani Mela. By introducing new festival-special routes and extending the run of popular summer specials, the North Eastern Railway (NER) aims to provide smoother travel for Kanwar yatris and general passengers alike. Key highlights of these service updates include:
- 32 trips for the Shravani Mela Special (03527/03528) between Gorakhpur and Asansol from July 30 to August 30, 2026.
- Introduction of a Baba Dham Mela Special running 33 trips between Barhni and Deoghar via Gorakhpur.
- Extension of 16 additional trips each for the Barauni-New Delhi (02563/02564) and Darbhanga-New Delhi (02569/02570) special trains.
- Commissioning of a new double rail line between Gorakhpur Cantt and Unaula stations to enhance infrastructure capacity.
Expanded Services for Shravani Mela
To facilitate the movement of thousands of Shiva devotees, the NER has launched the Shravani Mela Special (03527/03528). These unreserved trains are configured with 20 general second-class coaches and two disabled-friendly SLRDL coaches to maximize capacity. Furthermore, the Eastern Railway has introduced daily unreserved services connecting Asansol to Patna and Gorakhpur. Additional routes announced on July 23, 2026, include connections between Asansol-Jaynagar, Raxaul-Deoghar, and Itwari-Madhupur to ensure widespread regional connectivity.
Extended Summer Specials and Infrastructure Upgrades
Recognizing the persistent demand for travel to the national capital, the railway has extended the operational duration of key services. The Barauni-New Delhi Special (02563/02564) will now run until July 31, 2026, while the Darbhanga-New Delhi Special (02569/02570) is extended until August 1, 2026. These extensions are vital for passengers traveling to New Delhi, Rishikesh, and Vadodara.
In a major boost to regional infrastructure, the Gorakhpur Cantt-Unaula double line was commissioned on July 21, 2026. This follows intensive non-interlocking work conducted between July 16 and July 21, which had temporarily impacted traffic through 11 cancellations and 16 diversions. NER Chief Public Relations Officer Sumit Kumar noted that these strategic adjustments are essential to maintaining operational efficiency while meeting the increased seasonal demand.