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Indian Railways has undertaken a series of initiatives this festive season to ensure maximum comfort for travellers without compromising on the quality of service delivery.
Sabyasachi De, CPRO of Northeast Frontier Railway, said that around 1,700 special trains were being run across India. "26 lakh berths are made available this festive season, which is a record number. Considering the passenger rush, around 28 pairs of special trains have been running to and from Northeast Frontier Railway jurisdiction. These special trains have been operating in addition to the scheduled passenger trains," Sabyasachi De said. Special trains were being run to cope with the waiting list of passengers on regular trains connecting major destinations. "To cope with the waiting list of passengers on regular trains connecting major destinations, special trains are running from Agartala to Guwahati, Kolkata, Secunderabad, Rani Kamalapati etc; Dhubri to New Tinsukia; Dibrugarh to Secunderabad, Gorakhpur; New Jalpaiguri to Amritsar, Sealdah, Howrah, etc.; Katihar to Ranchi, Mumbai, Amritsar; Naharlagun to Okha, Silchar; Purnea to Anand Vihar Terminus; and Guwahati to Kolkata, Ranchi, Udaipur, Santragachi, etc.," De said. Elaborate crowd control arrangements are made at all major and important railway stations, where the huge crowds are predicted to reach for travelling to various destinations to celebrate festivals. Senior officers are stationed at these stations to monitor all the activities and regulate the crowd in a systematic manner. Government Railway Police (GRP) and Railway Protection Force (RPF) staff are deployed at foot-over bridges to regulate crowds smoothly in order to avoid a stampede-like situation during the heavy rush period. "Skilled RPF staff is deployed in the CCTV Control Room to keep a close watch on the crowded areas and render real-time assistance to passengers. Queue systems for entering general coaches are adopted at the originating stations. Proper announcement regarding trains and coaches is ensured well in time so that passengers are made aware of the location of general coaches and the platform from which the trains will depart." De further said. He further said that mixed escorts were deployed in important trains for rendering real-time assistance, especially to lady passengers travelling in long-distance trains. "In a commitment towards prioritising a secure and enjoyable travel experience for all passengers, special trains have been running to prioritise the festive rush and provide connectivity between various destinations across the country. NF Railway plans to operate more special trains till the festive rush continues," he said. (ANI)
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