South Central Railway has extended the operation of multiple Sankranti special trains across key long-distance corridors to accommodate the seasonal surge in passenger movement during winter holidays, reinforcing railways’ role as India’s most inclusive and low-carbon transport backbone. According to an official communication, additional special services will operate between Secunderabad and Anakapalle, Hyderabad and Gorakhpur, and Machilipatnam and Ajmer on selected dates in December and January.
The extensions aim to ease congestion on regular services as millions travel home for Sankranti, one of the country’s largest harvest festivals with strong rural–urban travel patterns. Railway officials said the decision was taken after reviewing booking trends and historical passenger loads during the festive period. Routes linking Telangana and Andhra Pradesh with northern and western India traditionally witness sharp demand spikes, driven by migrant workers, students, and families returning to their native towns. By extending special services rather than adding last-minute unreserved capacity, the railways are seeking to offer predictable, safer, and more dignified travel options.
The Secunderabad–Anakapalle and Hyderabad–Gorakhpur corridors will see multiple round trips spread across January, ensuring staggered travel and reducing pressure on peak-day departures. In addition, a long-haul service connecting Machilipatnam with Ajmer has been scheduled in late December, catering to pilgrims, seasonal workers, and traders travelling between coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan. hese special trains will halt at several strategically important junctions across southern, central, and northern India, enabling regional dispersal rather than funnelled crowding at terminal stations. Transport planners note that such distributed halting patterns improve network resilience and reduce last-mile congestion around major city hubs, particularly during festival seasons.Each service will offer a full range of accommodation, from air-conditioned classes to sleeper and general second class coaches, allowing passengers from different income groups to travel affordably. A railway operations official said this mix remains critical during festivals, when travel is driven more by necessity than discretionary spending. Beyond immediate crowd management, the extension reflects a broader shift towards demand-responsive public transport planning.
Railways remain significantly more energy-efficient than road or air travel, and targeted festive services help prevent a surge in private vehicle use, lowering emissions and accident risks during peak holiday periods. As India’s cities continue to absorb migrant populations while maintaining strong rural linkages, festival travel planning is increasingly seen as an urban governance issue. By anticipating demand and scaling rail capacity accordingly, South Central Railway’s Sankranti special trains underline how public infrastructure can support cultural traditions while advancing inclusive, sustainable mobility.
Secunderabad Railway Extends Sankranti Special Trains On Anakapalle Hyderabad Gorakhpur Routes Key
