Bhubaneswar: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw along with Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi today reviewed Indian Railways' preparations for the upcoming Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath in Odisha’s Puri city.

The Minister carried out an overall assessment of the railway arrangements, including crowd management, passenger movement and operational preparedness. Senior railway officials and the local administration briefed him on the integrated arrangements and the detailed operational plan put in place for the smooth conduct of the festival.

This year, the Indian Railways has planned to run more than 300 special trains for Rath Yatra. Besides, it will arrange holding area for more than 30,000 devotees, additional ticket counters and food during the annual mega event. 

“The Indian Railways runs special trains to cater to the passengers during festivals. We had run over 12,000 special trains during the last Chhath and Diwali festivals. The Railways operated a record number of 15,000 special trains during the just concluded summer season. We are planning to run over 300 such trains during this year’s Rath Yatra in Puri. The authorities will operate over 100 special trains for the upcoming Onam festival in Keralam,” said Vaishnaw.

Vaishnaw also inspected passenger amenities and reviewed measures taken to enhance passenger convenience, strengthen safety arrangements and ensure efficient railway operations during the Rath Yatra.

The review reflects the government's coordinated approach to ensure seamless railway operations, effective crowd management and a safe, comfortable travel experience for devotees during the festival, said an official.