Bhubaneswar: More than 300 special trains will be operated by the Railways for the world-famous Rath Yatra in Odisha’s Puri this time.
The announcement was made by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday during an event at Rail Sadan in Bhubaneswar.
The Minister said that around 15,000 special trains were operated during the summer season ending June 30, calling it a historic initiative.
Similarly, more than 300 special trains will be operated during the upcoming Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath and siblings in Puri, while over 100 special trains will run during the Onam festival in Keralam, he said.
Later, Vaishnaw along with Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, reviewed Railways’ preparations for the Rath Yatra in Puri to ensure safe, seamless and comfortable travel for the lakhs of devotees expected during the festival.
The Minister carried out an overall assessment of the railway arrangements, including crowd management, passenger movement and operational preparedness. Senior railway officials and the local administration briefed him on the integrated arrangements and the detailed operational plan put in place for the smooth conduct of the festival. This year , planned to run more than 300 specials for Rath Yatra , holding area for more than 30,000 devotees, food arrangements, additional ticket counters etc are being done in Puri area.
Vaishnaw also inspected passenger facilities and amenities, reviewed measures taken to enhance passenger convenience, strengthen safety arrangements and ensure efficient railway operations during the Rath Yatra.
The review reflects the coordinated approach, in partnership with the Odisha government, to ensuring seamless railway operations, effective crowd management and a safe, comfortable travel experience for devotees during one of India’s largest religious gatherings, officials said.
On the achievements of the Railways over last 12 years, Vaishnaw said around 37,000 kilometres of new railway tracks have been laid, while railway electrification has reached 99.6 per cent.
The Bullet Train project is also progressing rapidly and the service is expected to begin next year, he said, adding that the Eastern and Western Dedicated Freight Corridors have been completed.
A new east-west freight corridor connecting Dankuni in West Bengal with Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh will also be developed, he said.
