Tiruchy Railway Division Carries 21.68 Lakh Passengers in 21 Days, Says DRM

Over 21.6 Lakh Passengers Travel in Tiruchy Railway Division This October, Says DRM Balak Ram Negi

The Tiruchy Railway Division has witnessed a massive passenger surge this October, with 21.68 lakh people travelling between October 1 and 21, according to Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Balak Ram Negi. The division, one of the busiest in Southern Railway , covers key regions including Tiruchy, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Villupuram, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, and Puducherry.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Negi said the division handled the festive rush efficiently by introducing special express services, adding extra coaches, and deploying additional staff for passenger management.

“From October 1 till date, 21.68 lakh passengers travelled across the division — a significant increase compared to the corresponding period last year. The figure includes 16.63 lakh passengers in the unreserved segment and 5.05 lakh in the reserved segment,” he said.

Special Trains and Extra Coaches Meet Festive Demand

To handle the festive season rush , the division operated 16 pairs of special express trains , totaling 116 services, during the three-week period. In addition, extra coaches were attached to regular trains to accommodate growing demand, ensuring smoother travel for passengers across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

Smart Crowd Management and Real-Time Monitoring

Highlighting the division’s crowd control strategy, Negi said squad TTEs were deployed from originating stations to monitor passenger flow in real time.

“Hourly photos of train coaches and platforms were shared with higher officials to aid timely decisions on ticketing and crowd control,” he explained.

A dedicated war room was also established in Tiruchy to oversee operations, crowd management, and emergency coordination. The initiative, Negi said, resulted in a sharp decline in overcrowding complaints reported under the RAIL MADAD grievance system.

RPF Action and Passenger Safety

The Railway Protection Force (RPF) played a key role in maintaining order at major stations.
According to the DRM, the RPF de-boarded 6,486 unauthorized passengers, ensuring safer and more comfortable travel for genuine commuters.

To ease congestion at ticket counters, additional booking counters were opened at key stations, allowing faster service and shorter queues.

Efficient Planning Ensured Smooth Festive Travel

The DRM credited the success to effective coordination between operational teams, security personnel, and ticketing staff. He said the measures taken this year set a benchmark for handling high passenger volumes during peak travel periods.

With the festive season still underway, officials expect the Tiruchy division’s passenger numbers to cross last year’s overall October record, reflecting both improved rail operations and the region’s growing dependence on train travel.