Indian Railways is gearing up for the Durga Puja rush by planning to run special trains on key routes to West Bengal. This initiative aims to manage the expected increase in passenger demand during the festive season, as many people return to their hometowns to celebrate with family.

Durga Puja Dates

This year, Durga Puja will be celebrated from October 16 to October 21. With regular trains already experiencing heavy demand, the introduction of additional services is expected to provide more travel options for passengers.

Special Train Operations

Shivram Majhi, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of Eastern Railway, confirmed that special trains will be operated on routes with higher passenger demand during the holidays. He stated:

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"Yes. We will run special trains on the routes where there is demand during puja holidays."

Reservation Office Timings

The zonal railway has also announced revised timings for reservation offices during Durga Puja. All computerized reservation offices in the Kolkata and Howrah areas will operate in a single shift from 8 am to 2 pm on October 19, 20, and 21, instead of the usual two shifts. However, booking counters at Howrah, Sealdah, and Kolkata Terminal will continue to operate as usual on these days.

High Demand for Bengal-bound Trains

There is significant demand for Bengal-bound trains ahead of Durga Puja, with waitlists exceeding 290 on several trains. Some trains and classes are also showing REGRET, indicating that the train class or quota has reached its maximum waiting-list capacity. Notable routes experiencing high demand include:

  • Delhi-Howrah: Tickets for October 16 on the 12306 Kolkata Rajdhani are fully booked across classes.
  • Sealdah Rajdhani: Waitlist exceeds 290 in Third AC, with Second AC and First AC showing REGRET.
  • Poorva Express: Booking status shows REGRET across classes.
  • Sealdah Duronto: Third AC waitlist has crossed 220, while First AC and Second AC are showing REGRET.