Western Railway's Ahmedabad Division recorded over 8.20 lakh passengers in the first six days of November 2026, prompting a large-scale operational response that includes 73 special train trips, dedicated holding areas, a round-the-clock war room, and reinforced security ahead of Diwali and Chhath Puja.

Passenger Numbers and Station Breakdown

Between 1 November and 6 November, the division logged 4.55 lakh unreserved-ticket passengers and 3.65 lakh reserved-ticket passengers. Ahmedabad Railway Station alone accounted for over 3.20 lakh passengers, with Sabarmati adding 1.30 lakh and Asarwa contributing around 50,000 — collectively crossing five lakh passengers across the three stations in six days. The surge is consistent with the annual pre-Chhath Puja migration pattern, when large numbers of workers and families from Gujarat travel to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and neighbouring states for the festival.

Special Trains and Destinations

To absorb the extra load, Western Railway is operating 73 special train trips from the Ahmedabad Division through November. Services originate from Ahmedabad, Sabarmati, Asarwa, Bhuj, and Gandhidham, connecting passengers to cities including Lucknow, Kanpur, Agra, Mumbai, Prayagraj, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Barauni, Rajgir, Jaipur, Haridwar, and Bhagalpur. The network spans Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and several other states. This is among the more extensive festive-season deployments the division has undertaken in recent years, reflecting the sustained post-pandemic recovery in long-distance train travel.

On-Ground Arrangements at Stations

Special holding areas have been set up at Ahmedabad and Sabarmati stations to prevent platform overcrowding. The facilities include seating, drinking water, lighting, and fans for waiting passengers. Food packets, water bottles, chips, and biscuits are being distributed to general-class travellers, with voluntary organisations and NGOs assisting in the effort. Additional cleaning staff have been deployed, and water coolers are under regular monitoring.

For security and crowd management, extra Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) personnel, along with ticket-checking staff, have been stationed across key locations. CCTV cameras are being used to monitor platforms, entry and exit gates, foot overbridges, and crowded concourse areas.

DRM's Night Inspection and War Room

Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Ved Prakash conducted a late-night inspection of Ahmedabad Railway Station, reviewing CCTV surveillance, holding areas, queue-based boarding arrangements, and real-time crowd management. He interacted with passengers travelling to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, extended Chhath Puja greetings, and appealed for orderly boarding. Passengers reportedly responded by raising slogans of 'Chhath Maiya Ki Jai' alongside the DRM and expressed appreciation for the arrangements.

A dedicated war room has been established at the DRM's office control building to monitor passenger movement and train operations around the clock. DRM Prakash directed officials to coordinate through the war room immediately and act whenever excessive crowding or passenger inconvenience is reported at any station.

Passenger Advisory

The division is disseminating information about special services, schedules, and facilities through electronic display boards, public announcement systems, and social media. Passengers have been advised to follow railway guidelines, maintain discipline on station premises, and arrive well ahead of scheduled departure times. With the peak of the Chhath Puja rush still likely ahead, the division's operational posture is expected to remain on high alert through mid-November.