Eastern Railway to run special trains to cater festive rush during Diwali, Chhath Puja

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], October 30 : Eastern Railway has made extensive arrangements to facilitate smooth travel for passengers, ensuring that people reach their destinations on time during this festive season of Chhath and Diwali, officials said on Wednesday.
Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Kaushik Mitra said that Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav has instructed the railway authorities to ensure proper arrangements for people from West Bengal who wish to celebrate Chhath with their families.
"Eastern Railway has made a lot of arrangements for Diwali...Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav has directed that proper arrangements should be made for those living in West Bengal who want to celebrate Chhath with their families," he said.
The CPRO said that three trains with special general coaches have been started from Asansol to Patna.
"We have also provided many special trains and general coaches. Three trains with special general coaches are being run from Asansol to Patna...RPF teams have been deployed at every station...We are running many trains from Sealdah to Darbhanga, Malda, and Anand Vihar," he added.
Meanwhile, the Indian Railways has started 164 special trains on Wednesday to make sure that people are going to reach their destinations on time during this festive season of Chhath and Diwali.
According to the Railway Board's Information and Publicity Executive Director, Dilip Kumar, the trains will travel from all across the country, such as from Secundrabad, Ahmedabad, Kottamyam, Ujjain, Bhopal, New Delhi, and Nagpur to Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
"To ensure that people reach their destination on Chhath and Diwali, Railway has made elaborate arrangements. In this regard, on October 30 we are running 164 special trains. These trains will be run from various locations across the country to cities in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh," he told ANI.
The Indian Railway is set to make an additional 7,000 trips across the country with these additional trains.
"To ensure that passengers do not face any inconvenience at the railway stations, teams of officers have been deployed round the clock. Besides this, Railway Police Force, commercial and other SHGs have also been deployed for passenger convenience," he added.
For certain areas where the railways expect overcrowding, additional seating arrangements and resting places have been arranged for passengers.
"We have set up holding areas at important stations where there is the possibility of overcrowding. At these holding areas, arrangements for seating and resting of passengers have been made. The idea is to make sure that there is not much crowding on the stations and people can easily get to their destination. Indian Railways is making all the possible efforts to ensure a smooth and happy journey for passengers," Kumar added.
Diwali, known as the Festival of Lights, is one of the most significant festivals celebrated in India and around the world, symbolising the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil.
As families prepare for the festivities, homes will be adorned with colourful rangoli patterns and illuminated with diyas and fairy lights.
The celebrations typically involve prayers to Goddess Lakshmi for prosperity, sharing delicious sweets, and exchanging gifts.
Fireworks will illuminate the night sky, enhancing the joyful atmosphere and creating a time of togetherness, reflection, and celebration, fostering a spirit of unity and hope for the year ahead.