Railways approves 25 special trains from Nagpur to Mumbai and Pune for Diwali and Chhath

Rail passengers heading home for Diwali and Chhath Puja have some good news. Trains run packed during the festival days and confirmed tickets are hard to get. With this in mind, Indian Railways has officially announced special trains on busy routes such as Nagpur-Mumbai and Nagpur-Pune (Hadapsar).

The special services have been approved by Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. Union Minister of State Prataprao Jadhav had made a special request, which the Railway Minister took note of. The Railway Minister confirmed the entire plan in an official letter. It will bring direct relief to lakhs of passengers travelling in Maharashtra and neighbouring areas.

According to the Railway Ministry, 8 special trains have been fixed on the Nagpur-Mumbai route. These trains will make a total of 8 additional trips. The arrangement has been made in view of the large number of passengers.

On the Nagpur-Pune (Hadapsar) route, 17 special trains will run. The decision was taken keeping in mind the large number of people who study and work in Pune. These 17 trains will operate over a total of 24 additional trips. Together, the two routes account for 25 special trains.

It is not only about Mumbai and Pune. According to Mr Vaishnaw's letter, 18 more special trains have been planned on routes linking Shegaon, Nashik, Amravati, Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada and Udhna (Surat). Given the heavy pressure of passengers, work is also moving quickly on a plan for 13 more additional trains. These trains will be announced soon.

Every year at Diwali, trains face the problem of "no room" and long waiting lists. Against this background, Mr Jadhav's timely request and the Railway Ministry's quick decision will give passengers considerable convenience. The move is expected to shorten waiting lists, and people will be able to celebrate the festival comfortably with their families.