BHUBANESWAR / NEW DELHI — In a major logistics mobilization to facilitate smooth transit for millions of pilgrims, Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has announced that Indian Railways will operate more than 300 special trains for the upcoming annual Jagannath Rath Yatra in Puri, Odisha. These services will run in addition to the 800-plus regular trains scheduled across the network.
Concurrently, the Minister announced that the national carrier will also deploy over 100 special trains to cater to the festive rush during the Onam festival in Kerala.
Infrastructure Scaling and Mega Crowd Management at Puri
Reviewing the technical and operational preparedness alongside Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Vaishnaw outlined several key measures designed to ensure a seamless and safe travel experience for the massive influx of devotees:
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Augmented Transit Capacity: The addition of 300+ special trains is part of a coordinated seasonal strategy, following the successful execution of a record 15,000 special train runs during the peak summer season.
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Station Holding Infrastructure: To prevent overcrowding on platforms and streamline foot traffic, temporary holding enclosures capable of comfortably accommodating 30,000 passengers simultaneously have been set up at the Puri Railway Station.
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Enhanced Essential Amenities: The East Coast Railway (ECoR) is introducing extra ticket counters, emergency medical bays, and dedicated food stalls to maximize commuter convenience and maintain strict safety standards throughout the chariot festival.
Modernizing the National Network
While reviewing the festival arrangements, the Minister highlighted the broader long-term structural transformations underway across India’s rail network over the past decade.
He noted that around 37,000 kilometers of new railway lines have been laid to expand reach and capacity. Furthermore, the national railway network has achieved an electrification milestone of 99.6%, dramatically improving operational reliability and transition speeds for both passenger transport and freight logistics across the country.
