Nagpur: In a major push to facilitate the annual influx of devotees for Dhammachakra Pravartan Din, Central Railway is gearing up to operate around seven special trains, covering 24 trips from Nagpur between October 18 and 22. The additional services are expected to benefit nearly 50,000 devotees travelling to and from the city for the celebrations at Deekshabhoomi.
The Nagpur Division of Central Railway announced on Monday that the five-day special train operation would be followed by a 10-hour block for additional facilities at Nagpur and Ajni railway stations on October 19, 20 and 21. The arrangements are aimed at improving passenger handling and augmenting operational capacity during the rush.
Nagpur, a crucial railway junction on the Mumbai-Howrah route, is expected to witness a substantial surge in passenger movement during the period. The operational changes will have implications for services of both Central Railway and South East Central Railway, particularly those connecting eastern and western parts of the country.
Several trains originating from Nagpur will operate from Platforms 7 and 8 as part of the arrangements. These include Nagpur-Pune-Nagpur (01216/01215), Nagpur-Nashik Road MEMU (01218/01217), Nagpur-CSMT services (01020/01019 and 01220/01219), Nagpur-Akola (01131/01132), Nagpur-Bhusawal (01214/01213) and Nagpur-Solapur (01030/01029).
According to railway estimates, a single long-distance special train originating from Nagpur can accommodate between 1,100 and 1,400 passengers. With 24 trips scheduled, an estimated 26,000 to 30,000 passengers holding confirmed tickets may need to make adjustments to their travel plans due to the operational arrangements.
The changes are likely to be particularly significant for passengers travelling from Nagpur towards Pune, Dadar, Thane, Kalyan, Manmad, Jalgaon, Bhusawal, Akola and Wardha.
Meanwhile, travel agents in Nagpur said fares on routes connecting the city with Mumbai and Pune had stabilised following the addition of extra capacity.
Railway authorities have advised passengers to check the latest status of their trains through the National Train Enquiry System (NTES) or by calling helpline number 139 before starting their journey.
The arrangements are part of the railway administration’s efforts to manage the heavy passenger rush associated with Dhammachakra Pravartan Din and ensure smoother travel for devotees visiting Deekshabhoomi.
