To handle extra passenger rush during Holi, the Central and Western Railways have announced more than 100 special trains each, providing further connectivity to the north, south and east regions. The CR and WR will run 124 and 130 services, respectively.
A CR official said that trains to Banaras, Samastipur and Prayagraj (superfast AC) will be run on a weekly basis from LTT Mumbai. Similarly, a bi-weekly train will ply to Danapur from the same originating station. “Additional services such as the Pune-Kanpur superfast, CSMT Mumbai-Gorakhpur superfast, Roha-Chiplun unreserved and the Pune-Sawantwadi AC special will further enhance connectivity during the busy period,” the official added.
Likewise, the WR will run trains on the following routes: Mumbai Central-Howrah Special, and Bandra Terminus to Bikaner and Udaipur. Services like the Mumbai Central-Delhi Sarai Rohilla superfast and the Bandra Terminus-Indore Special will provide links to major cities. Other destinations to be covered include Jaipur, Hisar, Malda Town, Gorakhpur, Banaras, Thivim, Tiruchchirappalli, and Madurai.
Booking for these special train services is already open, allowing passengers to plan their journeys in advance and avoid last-minute rush, said a senior railway officer.