95 special trains deployed from Bengaluru for Deepavali and Chhath Puja rush

Bengaluru: To cater to the long weekend rush during Deepavali and Chhath Puja season, the South Western Railway (SWR) is operating multiple special trains linking Bengaluru to other cities across the country. 

The SWR is operating over 95 special trains, compared to 36 the previous year. 

These trains are operating to destinations within Karnataka, including Belagavi, Bidar, Hubballi, Karwar, Mysuru and Vijayapura. Additionally, travel patterns during the weekend rush towards Tamil Nadu and Kerala, including Kollam, Tiruchirappalli and Chennai, have been analysed to optimise services. 

Recognising the long-distance travel demands, 20 trains have been operated to Patna/Danapur. Also, several trains have been operational to Gomtinagar, Lalkuan, Rishikesh, Howrah, Santragachi, Tinsukia and Narangi. Special trains have also been notified to destinations like Narsapur, Visakhapatnam, Bhubaneswar and Bilaspur. 

In a statement, the SWR stated that the Bengaluru railway division carried out a comprehensive analysis to understand travel patterns and waitlist trends well in advance. 

"A war-footing exercise was conducted to identify the required trains and coaches, ensure their proper maintenance, and plan the train services accordingly," it read.