Indian Railways prepare for Holi rush with additional capacity of 30 lakh passengers, says Ashwini Vaishnaw
Mar 22, 2024
New Delhi [India], March 22 : With the arrival of the joyous festival of Holi just around the corner, Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Minister of Railways has announced a comprehensive plan to ensure smooth and efficient travel for passengers across India.
In a message on Friday, Railways Minister Vaishnaw said that there is expected to be a heavy rush during the Holi period and generally the movement of the public starts 4 days before Holi and will continue for 4 to 5 days after Holi.
Anticipating a heavy influx of travellers during the Holi period, the railway authorities are gearing up for a surge in passenger movement.
The minister said that in this festival season, "Approximately 30 lakh additional seats are being made available on trains for rail passengers. For this, the operation of 571 Holi trains including 1098 additional special trains is being carried out. Proper arrangements have been made for the convenience of passengers at stations. Monitoring of this is also being done 24x7."
"Additional 11 unreserved rakes are being planned from major cities like Mumbai, Surat, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Patna etc to meet the last-minute rush or passengers travelling during the Holi festival," he added.
"With these arrangements average of 1,400 Regular trains per day are being run for clearing rush in different parts- UP, Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Delhi, MP etc. of the country," said Vaishnaw.
The minister said that ensuring the safety and security of passengers remains a top priority for Indian Railways.
Therefore, round-the-clock monitoring at the apex level will be implemented, coupled with additional deployment of security personnel for crowd management. With these extensive arrangements and safety measures in place, Indian Railways is well-prepared to handle the festive rush and facilitate seamless travel experiences for millions of passengers celebrating the spirit of Holi across the nation.
