Western Railway rolls out 104 special trains for Chhath celebrations

As per the latest reports, to help accommodate the wave of passengers travelling home for the festival, Western Railway (WR) is launching 104 special trains from Udhna junction in Surat, Gujarat. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to operate a whopping 340 special trains during the festive period, connecting various destinations across Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, and Orissa. As the festive season approaches, the excitement in the air is palpable, especially for those gearing up for the Chhath celebrations.

WR officials have confirmed that these special trains will supplement the regular services already running to these areas. To increase capacity, extra coaches will be added to the existing trains as needed, depending on demand and availability. If reports are to go by, you can expect an additional 37 trains to be dispatched before the Chhath celebration to meet the high passenger demand. Many of these special services will start from major cities such as Ahmedabad, Bhavnagar, Rajkot, Mumbai, Surat, Udhna, Vapi, and Valsad.

As per reports, on November 3 alone, these special trains facilitated travel for over 160,000 passengers, with a remarkable 31,000 of those travellers journeying from Udhna junction.

Also read: Chhath Puja 2024: Indian Railways announces special trains for hassle-free travel; check details here

Reports have also stated that in order to ensure smooth operations and to maintain punctuality, the Western Railway has also set up special control rooms at all levels. On top of that, approximately 50 volunteers or sahayaks and a dedicated team of 20-40 ticket checking staff will be on the ground to assist travellers. In order to maintain law and order, there will also be a robust security presence from the Railway Protection Force, Government Railway Police, and Railway Security Force.

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About Chhath 2024

Chhath is a vibrant and significant festival celebrated primarily in the Indian states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and among the Nepali diaspora. This ancient festival is dedicated to the Sun God (Surya) and Chhathi Maiya (the goddess of fertility), and is observed over four days. For those new to this festival, you can travel to the aforementioned states to see what the festival is all about.