In preparation for the upcoming festive season, Indian Railways has announced the operation of 283 festival special trains to accommodate passengers celebrating Diwali and Chhath Puja. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw revealed that these special trains will collectively make 4,480 trips to cater to the increased travel demand during this time.
The distribution of these festival special trains is as follows: The Eastern Central Railway will operate 42 trains, making a maximum of 512 trips. The Western Railway will run 36 trains during the festive season, with a total of 1,262 trips planned. The North Western Railway is set to operate 24 trains, making 1,208 trips to serve passengers.
Here’s a breakdown of the number of special trains for each railway zone during the festive season:
- Central Railway (CR): 14
- Eastern Central Railway (ECR): 42
- Eastern Coast Railway Zone (ECOR): 12
- Eastern Railway (ER): 8
- Northern Railway (NR): 34
- North Eastern Railway (NER): 4
- North Frontier Railway (NFR): 22
- North Western Railway (NWR): 24
- Southern Railway (SR): 10
- South Eastern Railway (SER): 8
- South Central Railway (SCR): 58
- South Western Railway (SWR): 11
- Western Railway (WR): 36
To ensure a hassle-free travel experience for genuine passengers, the Railways has also launched a special drive to curb ticketless traveling. Ticket-checking staff have been instructed to verify the authenticity of passengers by checking valid prescribed proof of identity.
In a further development, the Indian government has approved a Productivity Linked Bonus (PLB) for eligible non-gazetted Railway employees for the fiscal year 2023-2023. This PLB equates to 78 days’ wages and has been sanctioned with a total allocation of ₹1,968.87 crores. Approximately 1,107,346 railway employees will benefit from this decision, providing a significant Diwali bonus for them.
This move by the government reflects its commitment to supporting and acknowledging the hard work and dedication of railway employees during these challenging times, ensuring that they are rewarded for their efforts.
