India, Sept. 11 -- Diwali and Chhath Ticket Booking: The rush for Diwali and Chhath travel has pushed railway ticket bookings to record levels, with IRCTC handling nearly 40 lakh ticket bookings in just two days. The surge comes as passengers across India begin planning their journeys home for the festive season.

IRCTC recorded 20,06,353 ticket bookings on September 7 and another 19,50,699 bookings on September 8, taking the two-day total to nearly 39.57 lakh. The unusually high demand has put the railway reservation system under heavy pressure as passengers compete for confirmed berths.

With Diwali and Chhath approaching, passengers are being advised to plan their journeys early and use the official IRCTC website or Rail Connect app to...