Hands-on inspection: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw buys tea via UPI, interacts with passengers at Anand Vihar Station

Connecting with passengers like a common citizen, the Minister shared a cup of tea at a station stall and paid digitally using UPI, showcasing the seamless integration of Digital India initiatives at public transit hubs.

During his walk-through of the station, Minister Vaishnaw engaged with a wide cross-section of travellers, including women, children, and youth, to assess ground-level amenities.

Passengers shared positive feedback regarding ongoing facility upgrades, cleanliness, and waiting area enhancements implemented by Indian Railways.

The Minister spent time encouraging young travellers and interacting with children, keeping the inspection informal and accessible.

The visit aimed to verify whether high-volume festive management measures were functioning effectively on the platform level.

Addressing the unprecedented passenger volumes during the ongoing festival period, Minister Vaishnaw highlighted the scale of operations deployed across the national network.

"This year, around 18,000 special trains have been operated. The benefits are visible. Because of special trains, many passengers can travel. In this Diwali, Pooja and Rush season, more than 2 crore passengers have been able to travel."

With the festive travel cycle reaching its midpoint, railway authorities are bracing for the next phase of heavy passenger movement.

A major nationwide passenger surge was handled across key passenger hubs on Friday on the occasion of Dhanteras.

On Saturday, high-density platform management is in effect for outbound trains for Chhoti Diwali.

For the upcoming Chhath peak, additional train deployments have been planned to handle heavy passenger movement toward the eastern sectors.

The Minister assured that elevated operational protocols and special services will remain active in the coming days to manage the incoming Chhath Puja rush smoothly. (ANI)