Northern Railway adds extra sleeper coaches and special trains to manage passenger rush
Northern Railway is taking proactive steps to ease passenger congestion by introducing temporary extra sleeper coaches and special festival services across key routes. Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Mahesh Yadav announced these arrangements on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, to ensure a comfortable journey for travellers dealing with heavy crowds. Key updates include the addition of sleeper coaches to the Padmawat Express, dedicated Janmashtami festival specials between Delhi and Varanasi, permanent augmentations for select long-distance routes, and a massive safety infrastructure boost with the implementation of the Kavach 4.0 system across the Moradabad Division.
Temporary and Permanent Coach Augmentations
To accommodate the heavy rush of travellers, Train No. 14207 Padmawat Express traveling from Maa Belha Devi Dham Pratapgarh Junction to Delhi will include one additional sleeper coach from September 3 to September 6, 2026. Similarly, the return service, Train No. 14208 Padmawat Express from Delhi to Maa Belha Devi Dham Pratapgarh Junction, will feature an additional sleeper coach beginning September 6, 2026. Beyond these temporary holiday measures, Indian Railways is permanently increasing capacity on key routes starting September 2026. Train No. 04113 Prayagraj-SSS Hubballi special will receive an extra sleeper coach on September 5, followed by its return service, Train No. 04114, on September 8. Furthermore, Train No. 04119 Subedarganj-Valsad special will see the addition on September 5, with the return service, Train No. 04120, receiving the coach on September 6, 2026.
Janmashtami Specials and Safety Infrastructure Boost
In addition to regular route augmentations, Northern Railway introduced special train services for the Janmashtami festival running from September 2 to September 6, 2026. This includes a special express service, Train No. 04446/04445, operating between Delhi and Varanasi with a convenient stop at Moradabad. Senior DCM Samarth Gupta confirmed that this train will operate two trips in each direction, featuring a composition of one AC 2-tier coach, one AC 3-tier coach, 10 sleeper coaches, and 4 general category coaches. On the safety front, the Moradabad Division is significantly enhancing its rail infrastructure. As of September 1 and 2, 2026, Indian Railways approved a substantial investment of ₹170 crore to implement the Kavach 4.0 Automatic Train Protection system across 712 route kilometers in the division, reinforcing the commitment to passenger safety alongside network expansion.