Indian Railways has intensified preparations for the Chhath Puja rush as thousands of passengers travel to Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and neighbouring states to celebrate the festival with their families.
Major railway stations, including Delhi, Mumbai, Varanasi, Howrah and Lucknow, are witnessing a sharp rise in passenger footfall.
Anand Vihar and New Delhi Railway stations have reported particularly heavy crowds.
To manage the festive rush, Northern Railway has announced 31 special trains from major stations across Delhi.
Additional reserved and unreserved services are operating on high-demand routes.
Railways have introduced dedicated passenger holding areas, help desks, additional security personnel and round-the-clock monitoring.
AI-enabled CCTV cameras are being used to track passenger movement and identify congestion.
Central Railway has suspended platform ticket sales at selected major stations between November 5 and 15. It has temporarily stopped parcel traffic at key stations, including Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, to create additional space.
At Varanasi Junction, dedicated holding areas and help desks have been established.
Howrah Station has, however, introduced carpeted waiting areas, medical facilities and additional monitoring through a dedicated control room. Similar arrangements are underway at Ballia and other stations.
Railways have expanded connectivity through special services between Muzaffarpur and Howrah, Jaynagar and Sealdah, and Mumbai and Gorakhpur.
Additional trains towards Patna are helping accommodate the growing demand.
🚆 Special Train Alert for Chhath Puja!
To facilitate passenger convenience during Chhath Puja, special express trains will operate between Khurda Road and Ghogardiha on designated dates.
Plan your journey and travel comfortably with Indian Railways.
#ChhathPuja #SpecialTrain #TrainOnDemand #EastCoastRailway #IndianRailways @RailMinIndia
— East Coast Railway (@EastCoastRail) November 9, 2026
Passengers have welcomed improved facilities and crowd-management arrangements, although heavy footfall continues to pose challenges.
Railway authorities have, however, urged travellers to follow official announcements and avoid relying on misleading information about train services and festive arrangements.
Also Read: PM Modi To Lay Foundation Stone For ₹160-Crore Compressed Biogas Plant In Bengaluru
To read more such news, download Bharat Express news apps
