New Delhi, Oct 20: Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw visited the war room at the Railway Board and took stock of passenger movement during the festive season today.

He appreciated the staff for working round the clock and extended his best wishes to them on the occasion of Diwali.

Indian Railways (IR) has made extensive arrangements to cater to the surge in passenger demand during the ongoing festive season. To ensure smooth travel during Puja, Diwali, and Chhath, IR is operating 12,011 special trains, a significant increase from 7,724 trains operated during the same period last year.

Indian Railways is operating at full strength to ensure smooth and comfortable travel for passengers during the ongoing festive rush. In addition to regular train services, IR has successfully operated 3,960 special trains between 1st October and 19th October 2025 to meet the increased travel demand during the festive period.

To further cater to the expected surge in passenger traffic for Diwali, and Chhath, Indian Railways plans to operate around 8,000 more special trains in the coming days.

These special trains are being run across all zones of Indian Railways, with Northern Railway (1919 trains), Central Railway (1998 trains), and Western Railway (1501 trains) operating the highest numbers. Other zones, including East Central Railway (1217) and North Western Railway (1217), have also deployed additional services to meet regional travel requirements.

Between 1st October and 19th October 2025, more than 1 crore passengers have already been facilitated by these special services. The management of passenger movement has been streamlined across stations, with the provision of dedicated holding areas, additional ticket counters, potable water facilities, and clean washrooms to ensure a comfortable travel experience.