Indian Railways clears Holi rush on war footing

New Delhi, March 3 (IANS) Indian Railways continues to maintain enhanced operational preparedness this week with the running of special trains to facilitate safe, smooth, timely and comfortable travel for passengers during the ongoing Holi festive rush across the country, an official statement said on Tuesday.

During this period, more than 5.5 million passengers travelled from stations under the jurisdiction of North Western Railway.

Notably, around 1.1 million passengers travelled on March 1 and 2 alone, during which 21 trips of new special trains were operated.

In addition, the operational period of 30 special trains comprising 216 trips was extended. To further accommodate increased demand in March, 141 additional coaches of various categories were augmented in 53 regular trains, according to the statement.

A total of 295 trips of newly introduced special trains were notified for destinations including Gorakhpur, Samastipur, Yog Nagari Rishikesh, Amritsar, Mysuru, Kakinada, Gomti Nagar, Bhavnagar Terminus, Howrah, Tirupati, Mau, Sabarmati, Danapur, Asansol, Chennai Egmore, Vadodara and Kolkata.

In the week preceding Holi, 54 trips of special trains were operated towards major destinations such as Gorakhpur, Mysuru, Kakinada, Bhavnagar Terminus, Howrah, Tirupati, Danapur, Kolkata, Sabarmati and Asarva, the statement said.

Civil Defence volunteers are also being deployed at busy stations to strengthen crowd control and passenger support.

At major stations, structured crowd management measures were implemented to regulate passenger movement.

Holding areas and barricades were set up to streamline entry, while adequate Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel and ticket checking staff were deployed to maintain security and order. Help desks provided guidance to passengers, and continuous announcements along with electronic display boards ensured the timely dissemination of train information. Awareness campaigns promoted ticket purchases through ATVMs and the RailOne App. On-duty staff remained alert for immediate response wherever required.

Punctual operation of special trains was ensured through continuous monitoring, with regular supervision by senior officers at headquarters and divisional levels. Additionally, 24x7 war rooms functioned through coordinated inter-departmental efforts to maintain effective control and oversight during the festive rush, the statement said.

Special trains are being operated across multiple zones to facilitate homebound travel, while systematic queue management, phased boarding and effective crowd regulation measures are being implemented at major stations.

Railway personnel, including RPF teams and Rail Karmayogis, maintain continuous on-ground vigilance, supervise passenger movement, assist elderly, divyang and women passengers, and provide essential guidance throughout the journey, the statement added.

--IANS

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