New Delhi: Indian Railways achieved a historic milestone, transporting more than 3 crore passengers in a single day on November 4, 2024, to meet festive season demand. On this day, the trains carried a record number of 120.72 lakh non-suburban passengers.
This included 19.43 lakh reserved passengers and 101.29 lakh unreserved non-suburban passengers. Similarly, the suburban traffic reached a record 180 lakh passengers, making it the highest single-day passenger figure of the year.
Available data showed 65 lakh passengers travelled on 4,521 special trains in last thirty six days during this year’s festive season from October 1 to November 5, 2024. These additional services have played a crucial role in facilitating smooth travel during the ongoing Durga Puja, Diwali and Chhath Puja celebrations.
To meet the increased travel demand during the festive period, the Indian Railways announced a substantial expansion of travel network of 7,724 special trains, marking a 73% increase compared to last year’s 4,429 special train services. An average number of 175 special trains operated per day over the past four days to carry passengers to their destinations for Chhath Puja.
Now, the Indian Railways is preparing for the anticipated return rush beginning November 8, 2024, with the conclusion of Chhath Puja festival. Special trains have been announced to accommodate returning passengers, with additional trains planned for the Samastipur, Danapur divisions and other divisions as needed to meet local demand.
The return rush for Chhath Puja is set to begin after sunrise on November 8, 2024, with 164 special trains scheduled to accommodate the high passenger flow. Following this, Indian Railways has planned 160 special trains for November 9, 161 for November 10, and 155 for November 11, ensuring sufficient capacity to manage the expected surge in travelers during the festive period.
