Indian Railways has introduced more than 100 pairs of special trains to manage the heavy passenger rush during Diwali and Chhath, with a large share of the services originating from or passing through the East Central Railway (ECR) zone. The services connect Bihar with Delhi, Punjab, eastern, central, western and southern parts of the country.
ECR chief public relations officer Saraswati Chandra said at least 13 special trains had been introduced, including a Vande Bharat Express operating between Patna and New Delhi. The additional services are intended to accommodate passengers travelling to their native places for the festivals and those returning to their workplaces after the celebrations.
Five pairs of special trains are operating from Dhanbad and Gaya to Delhi. Fourteen more special trains connect north Bihar with Delhi, while nine services link north Bihar with Punjab. These routes serve some of the busiest long-distance travel corridors used by passengers from Bihar during the festive season.
The Railways has also added services between Bihar and major cities in eastern and central India. Eight special trains are operating between Patna and Howrah, while another 10 connect north Bihar with Howrah. Eleven trains from the ECR jurisdiction have been introduced for destinations including Bhopal, Kota and Gwalior.
Additional services are running towards western and southern India. Seven special trains connect the region with Gujarat, while 11 others operate towards destinations in south India. The Railways has also arranged 11 special trains linking the ECR region with Mumbai and Pune, two major employment and education destinations for passengers from Bihar.
Four more special trains are operating towards Tatanagar, Ranchi and Rourkela. Five additional services are running within the ECR jurisdiction, expanding travel options across the zone during the peak period.
The scale of the deployment reflects the seasonal pressure placed on rail services during Diwali and Chhath, when large numbers of passengers travel from cities where they work to their native districts and return after the holidays. For Bihar, the movement involves both long-distance routes to major metropolitan and industrial centres and connections within the state and neighbouring regions.
The ECR said the special services were expected to provide considerable relief to passengers travelling to their native places and returning to their workplaces after the festivities. The railway zone’s arrangements currently cover routes towards Delhi, Punjab, Howrah, central India, Gujarat, Mumbai, Pune, southern India and destinations within the ECR jurisdiction.
