National: Indian Railways has achieved a historic milestone by transporting over 3 crore passengers in a single day on November 4, 2024, marking a remarkable achievement in the nation's transportation history, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Railways. 

On November 4, Indian Railways carried 120.72 lakh non-suburban passengers, including 19.43 lakh reserved passengers and 101.29 lakh unreserved passengers, along with a record 180 lakh suburban passengers, making it the highest single-day passenger count in 2024. The total passenger traffic on this day reached over 3 crore, setting a new benchmark.

6.85 crore passengers travelled

According to the ministry, approximately 6.85 cr passengers travelled in Indian Railways to Bihar, Eastern Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand between October 1 to November 5 through scheduled trains. This impressive number of passengers exceeds the combined populations of countries like Australia and New Zealand, highlighting the sheer scale of the travel during this period.

The ministry also highlighted that this achievement shows Indian Railways' commitment to meeting the increased demand during peak festival times, making travel easier and more accessible for all.

65 lakh passengers travel in 4,521 special trains in last 36 days

Given a huge rush in passenger traffic during the festive season, Indian Railways has operated an additional 4,521 special trains between October 1 and November 5, 2024, carrying 65 lakh passengers. "These additional services have played a crucial role in facilitating smooth travel during the ongoing Durga Puja, Diwali and Chhath Puja celebrations. These special efforts of Railways ensured lakhs of passengers could reach their destinations comfortably. This achievement shows Indian Railways' commitment to meeting the increased demand during peak festival times, making travel easier and more accessible for all," the ministry said.

To meet the increased travel demand during the festive period from October 1 to November 30, Indian Railways had earlier announced a total of 7,724 special trains, marking a 73 per cent increase compared to last year’s 4,429 special train services. Indian Railways has operated an average of 175 special trains per day over the past four days to carry passengers to their destinations for Chhath Puja.

Indian Railways preparing for return journey

As the festive season comes to an end, Indian Railways is bracing for the anticipated return rush from November 8, 2024, with the end of Chhath Puja. Special trains have been announced to accommodate returning passengers, with additional trains planned for the Samastipur, Danapur divisions and other divisions as needed to meet local demand.

To accommodate the high passenger flow, the Indian Railways will deploy 164 special trains on November 8, with additional trains scheduled for November 9, 10, and 11. These efforts are aimed at easing congestion and ensuring a smooth return journey for millions of passengers heading back to their homes. Following this, Indian Railways has planned 160 special trains for November 9, 161 for November 10, and 155 for November 11, ensuring sufficient capacity to manage the expected surge in travellers during the festive period.