18,000 Special Trains, 700 AI Cameras: Railways Prepares For Festive Rush Amid Diwali, Chhath Puja

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the Railways has deployed 18,000 special trains this festive season, compared with 12,000 last year, to manage passenger rush during Durga Puja, Diwali and Chhath. He said holding areas have been established at around 20 stations, with ticket counters shifted to these locations and additional scanning counters installed to reduce queues. The Railways has also deployed around 700 AI-enabled cameras for crowd management. Vaishnaw said special trains have been stationed at key locations in Delhi and passenger movement had returned to normal on Chhoti Diwali. He added that 36,000 kilometres of additional tracks have been laid over the past decade to address congestion and improve capacity.