With thousands of migrant workers from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and other eastern states expected to travel to their hometowns for Diwali and Chhath Puja, the Ferozepur Division of the Northern Railways has declared special trains and additional coaches to manage the festive rush.
According to officers, seven special trains will serve Jalandhar city and Jalandhar Cantt railway stations while another will operate through nearby stations in the district, connecting travellers to destinations across the eastern area.
The division is operating 15 pairs of special trains with 98 trips during the festive season. Of these, five pairs originate from Amritsar, six from Ludhiana, two from Ferozrpur Cantt and one each from Jalandhar City and Chheharta.
Among the services, the Amritsar-Katihar special (05735) will arrive at Jalandhar City at 2:30 pm and depart at 2:35 pm every Friday. The Amritsar-Kolkata special (04624) will reach Jalandhar city at 9:15 pm while the Amritsar-Barauni special (04668) will also arrive at 9:15 pm and depart at 9:20 pm.
Additionally, the Jalandhar city-Barhni special (05006) will originate from Jalandhar city at 10:50 am every Thursday. The Amritsar-Jaynagar special (04652) will reach Jalandhar Cantt at 12:03 pm and depart at 12:05 pm on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
The Amritsar-Chhapra special (04638) will arrive at Jalandhar city at 8:50 pm and depart at 8:55 pm every Monday. Similarly, the Chheharta-Muzaffarpur special (04640) will reach Jalandhar city at 10:50 am and depart at 10.55 am on Mondays.
Another service, the Ferozepur Cantt-Purnea special (04634) will benefit commuters in the adjoining areas, arriving at Lohian Khas station at 6:45 pm, Nakodar at 7:28 pm and Phillaur at 8:18 pm on Thursdays.
To increase passenger capacity, two additional third AC coaches each have been attached to Ferozepur Cantt-Patna (04616) and Amritsar-Barauni (04668) special trains. The division has also kept the option of introducing extra special trains, if the passenger rush increases.
Meanwhile, temporary waiting regions covering approximately 3,700 square metre are being developed at four major stations, including 400 square metres at Jalandhar City, 2,500 square metres at Ludhiana, 300 square metres at Amritsar and 500 square metres at Dhandari Kalan. Additional ticket counters and enquiry staff have been deployed at major stations, while help desks have been set up to assist travellers. The Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) have also been deployed to manage crowds and ensure passenger safety.
