Amid a surge in passenger rush due to Diwali and Chhath festivals, 15 pairs of special trains, including six from Ludhiana, are being run from the state for 98 trips, the Northern Railways’ Firozpur division stated on Friday. Of these, five pairs will originate from Amritsar, two from the Firozpur Cantonment, and one each from Jalandhar City and Chheharta.
In a statement, the division stated that the special trains, which began running last month and will continue till the end of this month, were being operated to cater to the heavy rush towards the eastern parts of the country. The services connect major stations in Punjab with destinations such as Patna, Kolkata, Barauni, Katihar, Darbhanga, Saharsa, Gaya, Purnea, Jaynagar, Chhapra, Muzaffarpur, and Barhni.
Besides the special trains, 16 scheduled trains are operating towards the eastern region. Five of these run daily, while the remaining trains operate once, twice, thrice, or four times a week.
To increase passenger capacity, two additional third-AC coaches each have been attached to train numbers 04616 (Firozpur Cantonment-Patna) and 04668 (Amritsar-Barauni). The railway authorities have also kept the option of introducing additional special trains if the passenger rush warrants it.
At the Ludhiana railway station, a temporary waiting area spread over approximately 2,500 square meters is being developed to manage crowding. An additional entry gate has also been arranged on the multi-level car parking side, equipped with a ticket counter, seating facilities, and a temporary waiting area. Temporary waiting facilities covering around 3,700 square meters are being developed collectively at Ludhiana, Amritsar, Jalandhar City, and Dhandari Kalan stations, officials said.
{{/usCountry}}At the Ludhiana railway station, a temporary waiting area spread over approximately 2,500 square meters is being developed to manage crowding. An additional entry gate has also been arranged on the multi-level car parking side, equipped with a ticket counter, seating facilities, and a temporary waiting area. Temporary waiting facilities covering around 3,700 square meters are being developed collectively at Ludhiana, Amritsar, Jalandhar City, and Dhandari Kalan stations, officials said.
{{/usCountry}}The division has also opened additional ticket counters at major stations and deployed extra staff at inquiry offices. Help desks have been set up at major stations.
Meanwhile, parcel transactions at the Ludhiana railway station will remain temporarily suspended on rush days to ensure smoother passenger movement.
The division has appealed to passengers to avoid overcrowding, refrain from carrying inflammable materials, maintain cleanliness, and avoid unnecessary alarm-chain pulling.