Kolkata, Oct. 9 -- For the first time, late-night special trains will connect the Howrah and Sealdah suburban networks via Dankuni and Naihati during Durga Puja, allowing revellers to travel between the two networks after midnight.
According to Eastern Railway's Howrah Division, a special train will leave Sealdah at 11 pm for Dankuni, with a return service departing Dankuni at 11.52 pm. Another special will leave Bandel at 12.45 am for Naihati, with a return service departing Naihati at 1.15 am.
The services are part of the division's arrangements to handle the expected surge in passenger traffic, particularly from October 17 to 21.
The division will operate seven pairs of scheduled Puja special trains, making 174 trips to destinations including New Delhi, New Jalpaiguri, Patna, Katihar, Lumding and Raxaul. Seven additional pairs of special EMU services will make 70 trips, while 25 pairs of Puja special trains passing through the division will account for 402 trips. Five pairs of Mail and Express trains will run with additional coaches.
Suburban services will have additional stoppages from October 17 to 21. 11 local trains that do not normally run on Sundays will also operate on the evening of October 18. Seven late-night EMU specials will run on routes including Barddhaman-Howrah, Howrah-Chandanpur, Bandel-Howrah, Tarakeswar-Sheoraphuli and Bandel-Naihati.
Two reserved and four unreserved standby rakes will be kept ready for deployment during sudden increases in passenger demand. To ease ticketing, Howrah station will have six additional unreserved ticket counters and four mobile ticketing facilities. Nineteen additional ticketing points will be arranged at nine stations, while 366 facilitators will assist passengers at automatic ticket vending machines (ATVMs). Mobile unreserved ticketing (M-UTS) facilities will also be available.
For passenger safety, 75 night trains operating between 10 pm and 6 am have been identified for escort arrangements, with two-member teams including women Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel. CCTV surveillance, anti-sabotage checks at vulnerable locations and Quick Reaction Teams at Howrah, Rampurhat, Bandel and Barddhaman will supplement security arrangements. Medical assistance will also be available to handle emergencies during the festival rush.
Divisional Railway Manager Vishal Kapoor said the arrangements covered ticketing, boarding, overnight travel and passengers' return journeys.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.