Indian Railways adds 116 coaches to ease demand after mass flight cancellations
NEW DELHI, INDIA FEBRUARY 11: Railway train engines on the tracks at New Delhi Station on February 11, 2013 in New Delhi, India. (Photo by Ramesh Pathania/Mint via Getty Images)
Indian Railways has attached 116 additional coaches to 37 trains as part of an emergency capacity boost following widespread flight cancellations, the Ministry of Railways said on Friday. The extra coaches will operate across 114 trips to ease congestion and accommodate stranded passengers shifting to rail travel.
Southern Railway added the highest number of coaches, expanding capacity on 18 trains from December 6 with additional Chair Car and Sleeper coaches. Northern Railway increased accommodation on eight trains, deploying 3AC and Chair Car coaches on high-demand routes. Western Railway added 2AC and 3AC coaches to four services starting December 6.
East Central Railway introduced extra 2AC coaches on the Rajendra Nagar–New Delhi route across five trips between December 6 and 10, while East Coast Railway added 2AC coaches to Bhubaneswar–New Delhi services. Eastern Railway attached Sleeper coaches on three trains for six trips on December 7 and 8. Northeast Frontier Railway added 3AC and Sleeper coaches to two trains across eight trips each between December 6 and 13.
To manage additional load, Indian Railways is also operating four special trains, including the Gorakhpur–Anand Vihar Terminal Special, the New Delhi–Martyr Captain Tushar Mahajan Vande Bharat Special, a New Delhi–Mumbai Central Superfast Special and a one-way Hazrat Nizamuddin–Thiruvananthapuram Superfast Special.
The railways said the measures are intended to minimise disruption and maintain connectivity amid a sharp surge in demand.
