Indian Railways has initiated comprehensive preparations aimed at ensuring smooth and comfortable travel for passengers during the Holi festival. To accommodate the expected increase in passenger numbers, a total of 1,244 Holi Special train trips will be operational across various Railway Zones from February 25 to March 18. This figure could potentially rise to 1,500 in response to heightened demand.

Key Connections Across the Country

The Holi Special trains are designed to link major cities, state capitals, and significant regional hubs nationwide, thereby providing confirmed accommodation and alleviating congestion on regular services. Notable long-distance routes include connections from Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur to destinations such as Danapur, Gorakhpur, Hazrat Nizamuddin, Samastipur, and Barauni. Other connections will serve Visakhapatnam, Puri, and Bhubaneswar to Shalimar, Patna, Yesvantpur, and Dhanbad, among others.

Regional Connectivity Enhancements

The Eastern and Northern corridors will experience improved connectivity, featuring services between Howrah, Sealdah, Kolkata, and Malda Town, linking to Raxaul, Madhubani, Gorakhpur, and Anand Vihar Terminal. Furthermore, stations in the Delhi region will be extensively connected with Varanasi, Lucknow, Ayodhya Cantt, Haridwar, Amritsar, and Katihar. In the south, special trains will extend from MGR Chennai Central, Ernakulam, Thiruvananthapuram North, and Coimbatore to key locations in the north and east, ensuring comprehensive regional coverage.

Operational Details by Railway Zones

According to official announcements, several Railway Zones will manage specific routes during the festival. The Central Railway will run 20 Holi Special Train Services with a total of 129 trips, primarily focusing on connections from Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur. Meanwhile, the East Coast Railway plans to operate 8 Holi Special Train Services, offering 62 trips connecting destinations in the eastern and southern regions.

East Central Railway aims to facilitate travel from Bihar and Jharkhand to major cities in Delhi and Mumbai with 50 Holi Special Train Services comprising 275 trips. Eastern Railway is set to conduct 22 Holi Special Train Services with 48 trips from Howrah, Sealdah, Kolkata, and other key locations towards Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

The Northern Railway will provide extensive services from the Delhi region to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Uttarakhand, and Punjab, with 48 Holi Special Train Services totaling 204 trips. In addition, the North Central Railway will offer 16 Holi Special Train Services with 46 trips connecting Uttar Pradesh with Maharashtra and other important destinations.

Special Services in Northeastern and Southern Regions

The North Eastern Railway plans to operate 12 Holi Special Train Services with 27 trips connecting key areas, while the North Frontier Railway will run 10 services with 29 trips linking the Northeast with northern India. The North Western Railway and South Central Railway will also contribute with 14 and 16 Holi Special Train Services, respectively, aimed at enhancing connectivity from Rajasthan and Southern states.

South Eastern Railway will facilitate travel with 28 Holi Special Train Services comprising 107 trips, while the South East Central Railway will run 10 services with 14 trips connecting central regions. Southern Railway will focus on links from Chennai, Ernakulam, and Thiruvananthapuram to various northern and eastern locales.

Lastly, the Western Railway is set to manage 32 Holi Special Train Services with 120 trips from cities such as Mumbai Central and Ahmedabad towards key northern destinations. The Konkan Railway will also play its part by running 4 services with 20 trips from critical junctions.

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