Railways’ plan for Durga Puja rush: Special trains on key routes to Bengal

Indian Railways is set to introduce special trains on key routes leading to West Bengal as preparations intensify for the Durga Puja celebrations. With a large number of people returning to their hometowns in Bengal during the festive period, Indian Railways aims to accommodate the high demand for train tickets by offering additional services.

Chief Public Relations Officer of Eastern Railway, Shivram Majhi, confirmed the plan, stating that special trains will be operated on routes expected to witness increased passenger demand during the Durga Puja holidays. Revised timings for reservation offices have also been announced, with all computerized reservation offices in Kolkata and Howrah areas operating in a single shift from 8 am to 2 pm on October 19, 20, and 21.

However, booking counters at Howrah, Sealdah, and Kolkata Terminal will remain operational as usual. Several popular routes to Bengal, including the Delhi-Howrah, Mumbai-Howrah, and Chennai-Howrah routes, are experiencing high demand, with waitlists crossing 290 on several trains, while some classes are showing REGRET status, indicating full capacity.