Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Tuesday that to further cater expected festive surge in passenger traffic, Railways plans to operate around 7,800 more special trains
NEW DELHI — Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Tuesday that to further cater to the expected surge in passenger traffic for Diwali and Chhath, the Railways plans to operate around 7,800 more special trains in the coming days, and War Rooms have been set up to monitor the festive rush.
The minister visited the New Delhi Railway Station on Tuesday and conducted an on-ground assessment of the arrangements made for passengers during the festive season.
He also reviewed information on special trains from the Rail Bhawan War Room before visiting the New Delhi Railway Station. Key instructions were issued to railway officials to ensure passenger convenience.
Indian Railways has established a dedicated "War Room" at Rail Bhawan to monitor and manage the massive influx of festive travellers. This command centre enables real-time monitoring and allows officials to quickly address congestion, passenger complaints, and potential incidents, the minister said.
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The War Room has evolved into an effective system overseeing the entire Indian Railways network, with over 80 War Rooms active at the Railway Board, zonal, and divisional levels.
Vaishnaw said that on average, around 4.25 lakh passengers are travelling daily outwards from the Delhi area. He highlighted that major stations such as Surat, Mumbai, Coimbatore, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru are under continuous monitoring, and even trains in motion are being closely tracked. He said every division and zone has its own war room, ensuring round-the-clock monitoring, carried out with the dedicated efforts of all railway employees.
The minister visited the RPF Control Room via Platform No. 1, which monitors the entire station, and interacted with passengers to review on-ground arrangements. He also visited the First Aid Room and interacted with the doctors on duty.
Indian Railways is operating 12,011 special trains during the festive season -- a significant increase from 7,724 trains in 2024 -- to meet the sharp rise in travel demand.
In addition to regular train services, the railways have successfully operated 4,211 special trains between October 1 and Oct 2025, catering to over 1 crore passengers.
Between October 1 and October 20, more than 1 crore passengers have already been served by these special trains. In the New Delhi area, 21.04 lakh passengers were facilitated between October 16 and October 20, as compared to 19.71 lakh passengers during the corresponding period last year — an increase of 1.33 lakh passengers, the official statement said.
Similarly, at New Delhi Railway Station, a mini control room has been set up to closely oversee passenger arrangements, ensuring smooth operations and enhanced convenience for travellers.
At Jaipur station, passengers are being issued tickets directly in holding areas through the Special Mobile Unreserved Ticketing System (M-UTS), helping maintain station order while providing a convenient and satisfying experience for travellers.
Western Railway’s Vadodara Division is also making every effort to manage the increased passenger rush. Since October 1, more than 30 lakh passengers have travelled to their destinations in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal through regular and 5 special trains operated by the Vadodara Division. The division is running five festival special trains, with over 70 trips already notified.