Mumbai/Patna: The Railways has announced an immediate and significant operational increase to cater to the massive outbound migration of passengers from Mumbai and surrounding areas to Bihar for the auspicious Chhath festival. A total of 77 special trains have been sanctioned and scheduled to run over the next three days to ease the rush.
This special effort adds to the already robust travel schedule deployed for the festive season. Central Railway is operating a staggering 1,998 Diwali special trips (reserved and unreserved) until November 30, with more than 600 of these originating directly from the high-demand Mumbai region.
Of the new 77 special trains, 24 will originate from the Mumbai division alone. These are supplementing the 100 regular daily trains running from Mumbai, helping to facilitate travel not just to Bihar, but also to high-traffic states like Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Madhya Pradesh. Key routes such as Dadar-Gorakhpur, Dadar-Ballia, and Nagpur-Madgaon are currently seeing increased operations, with Central Railway running over 15 special trains daily in addition to the 22 regular services bound for Bihar.
Enhanced Station Management and Security
Recognizing the potential for severe overcrowding, the Railways has implemented extensive measures at major terminal stations to ensure passenger convenience and safety.
Spacious waiting and holding areas have been activated:
- CSMT (Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus) boasts a 1,200-square-meter waiting area capable of accommodating 1,500 passengers with luggage.
- LTT (Lokmanya Tilak Terminus) has a massive 10,000-square-meter holding area designed to manage over 10,000 passengers simultaneously.
To manage platform congestion, platforms are being pre-assigned, and a strict rule is being enforced to avoid placing two trains on island platforms simultaneously. Regular announcements and the formation of structured boarding queues are being used to maintain order.
Security has also been ramped up significantly. Additional RPF (Railway Protection Force) and GRP (Government Railway Police) personnel have been deployed across key stations: 90 at CSMT, 70 at LTT, 47 at Dadar, and 66 at Kalyan. Furthermore, 60 additional staff have been deployed specifically to escort trains bound for Bihar. The Railways confirms that adequate provisions for water, toilets, and sanitation are in place for the comfort of the large number of travelers.
