Railway company launches three new trains and approves nine new stops for passengers from UP, MP, Gujarat, and Maharashtra

Due to the growing demand for tickets for trips home during the Diwali and Chhath festivals, there is intense competition for railway seats. When ticket sales opened for many routes, seats were quickly sold out, and regular trains show a status of 'Disappointment' or very long waiting lists.

In such conditions, special trains organized by the railway offer passengers an alternative option. The railway plans to launch over 1000 special services, considering the expected influx of people during Diwali and Chhath.

Diwali falls on November 8th, and Chhath will take place from November 13th to 16th. To cope with the increased passenger flow during the holidays, the launch of over a thousand special train services has been announced. These services will operate for 61 days, from October 1st to November 30th, across various railway zones on high-passenger-density routes. The railway's goal is to provide an additional choice for passengers who cannot secure a confirmed ticket on regular trains for their holiday travel home.

According to railway data, 43 pairs of trains and 1053 services are planned to operate across different railway zones. Some trains will run a limited number of times throughout the period, while others will run once or twice a week. These special trains will connect major cities such as Kolkata, Prayagraj, Kanpur Central, New Delhi, and Palwal. Additionally, stations like Anand Vihar Terminal, Virangana Lakshmi Bai Jhansi, Hazrat Nizamuddin, Ghaziabad, and Dadri are included in this network. The list for passengers also includes routes such as Pune, Hadapsar, Hajuraho, Tiruchanur, and Agra Cantonment.

The Western Railway is organizing 13 pairs of special trains, and the Northern Railway is organizing 10 pairs. Regarding the Northern Railway, train number 02417 will run daily between Prayagraj Junction and Shakurbasti stations in Delhi from October 1st to 14th. Then, from October 15th to December 14th, it will run on Mondays, Sundays, Thursdays, and Fridays. The return train 02418 will be launched on various dates during this period. Between Kanpur Central and New Delhi, trains 02455 and 02456 will run from October 2nd to November 30th on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Also, trains 01941 and 01942 between Agra Cantt and Palwal will run daily from October 1st to October 31st.

The Eastern Railway's list includes trains 01911 and 01912 between Agra Cantt and Kolkata. Nine services are planned for 01911 and 01912. Between Kanpur Central and Kolkata, trains 04157 and 04158 are provided, with 8 services in each direction. Between Virangana Lakshmi Bai Jhansi and Asansol, trains 04185 and 04186 will run twice a week, with 16 services in each direction.

The Southern Railway's list includes 8 services on the Kanpur Central – Madurai route with train 01925 and 2 services on the Prayagraj Junction – Kanyakumari route with train 04171. The South Western Railway includes special trains between Prayagraj Junction and Hubli, Kanpur Central and Ser M. Visvesvaraya Bengaluru Terminal, Subedarganj and Yashantpur, as well as between Prayagraj Junction and Yashantpur. The North East Frontier Railway has set 9 services in each direction for trains 04127 and 04128 between Kanpur Central and Guwahati.

According to railway representatives, continuous monitoring of passenger requests and waiting lists is being conducted. The possibility of launching additional special trains will be considered if necessary, based on ticket booking data and demand across various platforms. Commercial and RPF personnel are being additionally deployed to ensure order at stations. Sanitary conditions are also receiving special attention.

If you are preparing for a trip home for Diwali or Chhath but cannot find a ticket on a regular train, looking for a seat on these special trains may be an option. This is especially relevant for passengers whose routes show 'Disappointment' or very long queues on regular trains. Passengers are advised to check the updated list and schedule of the special train for the respective railway zone before purchasing a ticket.

It is planned that the responsibility for the technical maintenance of 80 Vande Bharat sleeper coaches will be carried out over 35 years. This major railway initiative goes beyond simple manufacturing. The responsibility for the long-term maintenance of these sets will be entrusted to a joint venture between Titagarh Rail Systems Limited (TRSL) and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL).

Previously, in April 2023, Titagarh Rail Systems and BHEL signed a contract worth approximately 24,000 crore rupees for the construction of 80 Vande Bharat sleeper coaches. Now, a corresponding structure is being developed to ensure the maintenance of these trains for 35 years, cementing the service system alongside production.

According to regulatory filings, BHEL and Titagarh Rail Systems will each hold a 50% stake in the proposed joint venture. Both companies will contribute equally to the share capital. This joint venture will be registered as a private company with an initial paid-up share capital of 50 thousand rupees and a registered office in Delhi.

Both companies are guaranteed equal representation on the joint venture's board of directors. BHEL will appoint two directors, and Titagarh Rail Systems will also appoint two directors. This agreement ensures equal participation of both companies in management and decision-making within the joint venture.

The main task of the proposed company will be to advance the planned activities in partnership between BHEL and Titagarh Rail Systems. It is through this structure that the responsibilities for maintaining the 80 Vande Bharat sleeper coaches will be assumed. According to regulatory documentation, the joint venture will utilize the technical potential and experience of both companies.

The focus will be on maintaining the operational readiness, safety, and reliability of the sets. This system is being created considering the projected 35-year lifespan of these trains, thus forming the institutional basis for long-term maintenance after construction completion.

Indian Railways is preparing to significantly expand the series of Vande Bharat sleeper coaches. According to the current plan, a total of 260 Vande Bharat sleeper coaches should be prepared. This will increase the network of fast and modern trains for long-distance night travel.

Under the existing plan, 260 Vande Bharat sleeper coaches will be manufactured by various companies and production units. India Earth Movers Limited (BEML) will be tasked with manufacturing the first 10 sets, consisting of 16 coaches each. Chennai Integral Coach Factory (ICF) will produce 50 sets. The 24-coach sets from ICF will also include a restaurant coach, for which production drawings have already been prepared. According to officials, RVNL and the Russian company Transmashholding (TMH) will manufacture 120 sets through the joint venture Kinet Railway Solutions. All these sets will be built in Latur, and each train will consist of 16 coaches. RVNL has reported that production has begun. At the 23rd annual general meeting, Chairman Salim Ahmed noted that the prototype manufacturing deadline was changed: it was originally planned for June 2026 but has now been extended to March 31, 2027.

With the approach of Diwali and Chhath festivals, people working in various cities across the country, especially from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand, are planning to return home. Diwali falls on November 8th, and Chhath Puja will run from November 13th to 16th, including evening Arghya on November 15th and morning Arghya on November 16th. This has caused a significant increase in load on trains and flights heading to Bihar and Jharkhand during the first and second weeks of November, as is customary every year.

Residents from the Purvanchal and Bihar regions living in other states are preparing for a mass return. However, the journey home for residents of Purvanchal looks challenging. As soon as booking opened, train tickets were sold out, and now most trains display a 'Regret' status after long waiting periods. Thus, hope for getting a train ticket has vanished, forcing people to consider air travel. But the cost of air tickets is so high that ordinary people cannot afford such a trip.

For passengers traveling from Delhi to Bihar, it has become difficult to find seats on several key trains. Among the available options are Tejas Rajdhani Express, Sampoorna Kranti Express, Sampark Kranti Express, Vaishali Express, Purbia Express, Magadh Express, Amrit Bharat Express, and Garib Rath. None of these options have vacant seats in November. This means that for those who could not book tickets, the options are constantly shrinking. Now, they must hope for special Sahara Puja trains.

The situation with trains from Mumbai to Bihar is also causing concern. On train 13202 LTT-Rajgir Express, the waitlist increased from 14 to 16 by November 3rd, starting October 31st. From November 5th to 10th, the status remains consistently 'Regret', and on November 11th, the waitlist reaches 17. On train 12336 LTT-Bhagalpur Express, the waitlist reached 40 on November 1st and 37 on November 8th; this train also shows 'Regret' on November 3rd and 10th. Furthermore, increased demand is expected for train 12141 Pataliputra Express, which runs directly from Mumbai to Pataliputra before Chhath.

Options for those traveling from Hyderabad to Bihar are even more limited. Among the main trains on this route is 12791 Superfast Express, which covers a distance of about 1830 kilometers and arrives in Danapur in approximately 32 hours and 50 minutes. This train already showed 'Regret' on many dates in October. This creates difficulties for passengers who rely solely on one train when planning last-minute trips during the holidays.

After train tickets became unavailable, passengers have the option of flying, but the financial blow is even greater here. On the Delhi-Patna route, economy class air tickets have reached levels from 8,000 to 13,000 rupees since early November. On the Mumbai-Patna route, economy ticket prices exceed 16,000 rupees. As for the Hyderabad-Patna route, the price exceeds 23,000 rupees. On the Delhi-Darbhanga route, the starting price for November is from 9,000 to 16,000 rupees. As the festive dates approach and demand rises, air travel becomes unaffordable for the average person.

The story of those returning to Jharkhand for Diwali and Chhath is not unique. A Mumbai-Ranchi flight reached 26,000 rupees. Destinations like Delhi-Ranchi, Durgapur, and Deoghar cost about twice as much in November as on regular days. Moreover, airfares from Mumbai and Bangalore to these cities have seen nearly a threefold increase. The situation for passengers heading to Dhanbad is even more complicated, as they have to consider flights via Ranchi, Durgapur, or Deoghar.

Given the crowd during the holidays, the railway has resorted to using additional trains. The launch of 16 pairs of special trains for Bihar is planned, which will conduct about 400 services from October 1st to November 30th. Additionally, one to two extra air-conditioned coaches will be added to regular trains as needed. These routes include Chandigarh-Patna, Firozpur Kant-Patna, Anand Vihar-Jogbani, Delhi-Sitamadhi, and Pataliputra-Anand Vihar.

The railway company has also provided special trains for Jharkhand. The launch of the Ajmer-Ranchi special train is planned. Furthermore, the frequency of the special train from Anand Vihar to Santragachi via Ranchi has been increased. The special train Ranchi-Anand Vihar-Ranchi 02977 will operate from October 3rd to November 29th. It will depart from Ranchi to Anand Vihar every Saturday and arrive back in Ranchi on Monday, departing from Anand Vihar on Sunday. In addition, the launch of trains 102 and Festival Special has been announced, which will run on high-demand routes, including destinations from various cities across the country to Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Bengal.