Indian Railways will operate a record 12,000 special trains between October 1 and November 15 to manage the heavy passenger rush during Diwali and Chhath, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Tuesday, September 23. The move, he said will make festive travel smoother after significant expansion of track capacity and better utilisation of resources.

Capacity scaled up from last year

Last year, 7,750 special trains were pressed into service for Diwali and Chhath. The increase this year reflects infrastructure upgrades, including additional tracks on congested sections and better coordination of freight and passenger services. Vaishnaw said these measures have allowed the Railways to run more trains without disrupting regular services.

10,000 trains already notified

Of the 12,000

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