In anticipation of the festive season rush, Indian Railways has launched an extensive operation, facilitating the travel of more than one crore passengers through special train services between 1st and 19th October. According to a statement, Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw visited the Railway Board War Room on Monday to review passenger movement and operational readiness.
The Minister commended staff members for their “round-the-clock efforts” in managing the surge in passenger traffic and extended his greetings on the occasion of Diwali.
#WATCH | Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw visited War Room at Railway Board and took stock of the passengers movement during festive season. He encouraged the staff morale for working 24X7 and wished them on the occasion of #Diwali2025
(Source: Ministry of Railways) pic.twitter.com/MK3z5YLa92
— ANI (@ANI) October 20, 2025
“On this sacred occasion of the festivals, more than 12 lakh railway employees are working day and night so that passengers can reach their destinations safely. Through the hard work of railway employees, rail services are being provided for crores of passengers,” he wrote on X.
त्योहारों के इस पावन अवसर पर, 12 लाख से अधिक रेलकर्मी दिन-रात प्रयासरत हैं ताकि यात्री सुरक्षित अपने गंतव्य तक पहुँच सकें।
रेलकर्मियों की मेहनत से करोड़ों यात्रियों के लिए रेल सुविधा प्रदान की जा रही है। https://t.co/6PtbvvF05w
— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) October 20, 2025
Railways Steps Up for Festive Season
Indian Railways has significantly scaled up its services this year to handle festive travel demand across the country. Between 1st and 19th October, the network operated 3,960 special trains, while an additional 8,051 services are planned to meet the upcoming Diwali and Chhath travel rush — taking the total to 12,011 special trains.
This marks a notable increase from 7,724 festive specials operated during the same period last year, reflecting a near 56 per cent rise in capacity.
Northern, Central and Western Railways Lead Operations
Across zones, Northern Railway has led the initiative with 1,919 special trains, followed closely by Central Railway with 1,998 and Western Railway with 1,501. Other zones, including East Central Railway and North Western Railway, have each added 1,217 special services to cater to regional demand.
The comprehensive deployment spans all railway zones, ensuring maximum connectivity during the festive rush. The Railways’ statement further detailed arrangements such as “dedicated holding areas, additional ticket counters, potable water facilities, and clean washrooms” to enhance passenger comfort.
Passenger Surge in Delhi Region
In the New Delhi zone, comprising New Delhi, Delhi, Anand Vihar, Hazrat Nizamuddin, and Shakur Basti stations, 15.17 lakh passengers travelled between 16th and 19th October 2025 — a substantial rise from 13.66 lakh during the same period last year.
Vaishnaw also visited New Delhi and Anand Vihar stations to interact with passengers and assess on-ground facilities. Officials said the Minister personally reviewed crowd management systems, ticketing arrangements, and passenger feedback mechanisms.
The Railways noted that more than 12 lakh employees are currently engaged in managing operations round the clock to ensure safe and comfortable journeys.
The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to “providing safe, comfortable, and hassle-free travel for all passengers during the festive rush”, emphasising that every effort was being made to ensure a smooth experience despite the unprecedented travel demand.
