Secunderabad Railway Station is witnessing a sharp rise in passenger traffic ahead of Diwali and Chhath Puja, prompting the South Central Railway (SCR) to operate 400 special trains, attach extra coaches and deploy additional staff across busy stations and routes.
Passengers were seen arriving at the Hyderabad station on Saturday to travel to their hometowns for the festivals. The SCR said the special trains would run on popular routes, including six major routes originating from Secunderabad, to accommodate the increase in demand.
Extra coaches will also be attached to existing trains to support waitlisted passengers. The move is intended to expand available capacity during one of the busiest annual travel periods, when large numbers of workers, students and families travel from cities to smaller towns and villages.
The railway has increased operational support at Secunderabad and other major stations along the routes. Additional ticket counters have been opened for last-minute bookings and passenger inquiries, while help desks have been set up to assist travellers inside the station.
A senior SCR official said general ticketing operations had been strengthened with additional counters at major stations. The number of counters may be increased further depending on demand, officials said.
Crowd management measures are also being implemented during peak hours. Railway Protection Force personnel and ticket-checking staff have been deployed to manage queues, circulating areas, platforms and trains.
The RPF has deployed 200 personnel at Secunderabad Railway Station and other relevant locations to support passenger safety and security. According to officials, the arrangements include extensive CCTV monitoring, additional manpower in crowded areas, intensified surveillance against miscreants and security-awareness campaigns for passengers.
The scale of the arrangements reflects the operational pressure created when festive travel demand concentrates within a short period. At a major interchange such as Secunderabad, managing the rush involves not only adding train capacity but also controlling the movement of passengers through ticketing areas, entry points, circulating spaces and platforms.
The SCR has advised passengers to book tickets early and reach the station well before their scheduled departure time. Travellers have also been asked to use online booking services where possible to reduce congestion at physical ticket counters.
Passengers have been advised to follow instructions from railway and security personnel, use designated help desks for assistance and avoid crowding near platforms and station access areas. The special-train operations and additional passenger-management measures will continue during the Diwali and Chhath travel period, with further ticket-counter deployment based on demand.
