By Priya Pathak

Copyright republicworld

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that Indian Railways will operate a record number of special trains during the upcoming festive season to handle the heavy rush of passengers travelling for Diwali and Chhath Puja.The minister said that while 7,500 special trains were run last year, the number has been increased significantly this year. “We have enhanced our capacity and set a target of 12,000 special trains. As of today, notifications for nearly 10,000 special trains have already been issued. The remaining will be announced gradually as per demand,” Vaishnaw said.According to officials, the operation of these festival specials will begin from October 1 and continue till November 15, covering the entire festive travel period. Out of the total, around 150 trains will be kept completely unreserved to cater to last-minute passengers and sudden spikes in demand.The move comes as Indian Railways braces for one of the busiest travel seasons in the country, with millions expected to travel home for Diwali and Chhath Puja. High-demand routes such as Delhi, Mumbai, Patna, and other major cities are expected to see the maximum rush.Last year, for Diwali and Chhath 2024, Indian Railways had operated 6,556 special trains between October 1 and November 30, with nearly 12,000 train trips planned specifically for Bihar-bound passengers. Details of routes, timings, and booking information were released in a phased manner through the Indian Railways website and NTES app.This year, the Railway Ministry is adopting a similar approach by releasing notifications in stages to ensure smooth operations and better management of passenger traffic. Officials said the focus will be on increasing capacity on routes with the highest demand and providing extra convenience for last-minute travellers.Read More: Railways New Rule: Aadhaar Mandatory for Online Ticket Booking in First 15 Minutes from Oct 1