BackIndian Railways launches 6369 special trips to ensure smooth summer travel experience
The Ministry of Railways announced the deployment of 380 special trains to cater to the increased demand, with an additional 1770 trips compared to last year’s summer special trains.
PremiumNew Delhi: In a bid to provide seamless and comfortable travel for passengers during the summer season, Indian Railways has embarked on a massive operation, running 6369 special trips across the country.
The Ministry of Railways announced the deployment of 380 special trains to cater to the increased demand, with an additional 1770 trips compared to last year’s summer special trains.
It added that the extensive initiative aims to address the extra rush of passengers and ensure a hassle-free journey. “Indian Railways is running 1770 more trips this year as compared to total summer special trains (4599 trips by 348 trains) run in 2022. While an average 13.2 trips per train was run in last summer, 16.8 trips per special train are being made in the current year," the ministry said.
The key routes covered by these special trains include Patna-Secunderabad, Patna-Yesvantpur, Barauni-Muzaffarpur, Delhi-Patna, New Delhi-Katra, Chandigarh-Gorakhpur, Anand Vihar-Patna, Visakhapatnam-Puri-Howrah, Mumbai-Patna, and Mumbai-Gorakhpur.
The 380 special trains making a total of 6369 trips boast a combined fleet of 25794 General Coaches and 55243 Sleeper Coaches. General Coaches can accommodate up to 100 passengers, while Sleeper Coaches in ICF configuration can accommodate 72 passengers and 78 passengers in LHB configuration.
To manage the summer rush effectively, all zonal Railways across the country have geared up to operate these special trips. The special trains ensure connectivity from various states such as Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi.
The South Western Railway, primarily serving the Karnataka region, is leading the way with the highest number of trips this summer season, running 1790 trips compared to 779 trips last year. The Western Railway, catering primarily to Gujarat, has also significantly increased its services, operating 1470 trips compared to 438 trips last year. Additionally, the South Central Railway is running 784 trips this year, marking an increase of 80 trips from the previous year. In response to heavy demand in the northern part of the country, the North Western Railway is running 400 trips, while the East Central Railway is operating 380 trips. The Northern Railway has planned to run 324 trips this year.
The number of trains and trips operated during the season is not fixed, as the planning and running of special trains are continuously evaluated based on demand. Inputs are gathered from various communication channels, including media reports, social media platforms, and the Railway Integrated helpline number 139.
According to the ministry, data from the Passenger Reservation System (PRS) system, which includes details of waitlisted passengers, is also utilized to assess demand on specific routes. Accordingly, the number of trains and trips are adjusted to meet passenger requirements.
To maintain a fair and transparent system, a dedicated team of commercial and Railway Protection Force (RPF) staff is monitoring the operations to prevent any malpractices, such as seat hoarding, overcharging, and touting activities.
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