NFR runs special trains in Tripura for Diwali 2026, 10 lakh devotees expected
Synopsis
More than 10 lakh pilgrims are expected at the 525-year-old Mata Tripura Sundari Temple in Tripura this Diwali — and Northeast Frontier Railway is running three pairs of special trains to handle the surge, in what is billed as one of the Northeast's largest Diwali gatherings.
Key Takeaways
Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) will operate three pairs of Diwali special trains in Tripura from Sunday to Tuesday .
Trains will run on the Agartala–Sabroom and Agartala–Dharmanagar routes.
More than 10 lakh devotees and visitors are expected at the Mata Tripura Sundari Temple in Udaipur , Gomati district .
Chief Minister Manik Saha will inaugurate the three-day festival on Sunday evening .
The temple is a 525-year-old Shakti Peetha, built in 1501 by Maharaja Dhanya Manikya .
Minister Sushanta Chowdhury credited PM Modi , CM Saha , and Railway Minister Vaishnaw for enabling the initiative.
Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has announced three pairs of festival special trains in Tripura from Sunday to Tuesday to manage the anticipated passenger surge during the Diwali festive season. The move is aimed at easing congestion on regular services and ensuring smoother travel for the more than 10 lakh devotees and visitors expected to converge on the state over the three-day celebrations.
Routes and Services
NFR Chief Public Relations Officer Kapinjal Kishore Sharma said the special trains will operate on the Agartala–Sabroom and Agartala–Dharmanagar routes, providing enhanced connectivity to passengers travelling across Tripura during the festive period. The additional services are designed to ease overcrowding on regular trains while offering greater travel convenience to pilgrims and visitors heading to the festival.
Temple at the Heart of the Festival
The focal point of this year's celebrations is the historic Mata Tripura Sundari Temple in Udaipur, located approximately 64 km south of Agartala in Gomati district. The 525-year-old temple, built in 1501 by Maharaja Dhanya Manikya — who ruled the erstwhile princely state of Tripura from 1490 to 1515 — is regarded as one of the 51 Shakti Peethas in India. Devotees from across the country and abroad are expected to visit the shrine to offer prayers to Goddess Tripura Sundari during the Diwali period.
Government Response and Inauguration
Tripura Tourism and Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury thanked NFR for the initiative, calling it timely and public-oriented. He expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Manik Saha, and Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for facilitating the arrangement. Chief Minister Manik Saha is scheduled to inaugurate the three-day Diwali festival on Sunday evening at the temple.
Scale of Celebrations and Arrangements
Local MLA Abhishek Debroy and Gomati District Magistrate Rinku Lather confirmed that all logistical arrangements for the annual festival have been completed, with several new initiatives introduced to make this year's edition more attractive. 'We expect more than 10 lakh devotees and visitors including a record number of women from across the country to converge at the three-day festival. It is one of the biggest Diwali festivals in the entire Northeastern region,' Debroy told the media. This is widely considered one of the largest religious gatherings in the Northeast during the Diwali season, drawing pilgrims well beyond Tripura's borders.
Point of View
But the numbers underneath it are striking — over 10 lakh visitors descending on a single temple in a small northeastern state over three days puts real pressure on transport infrastructure. NFR's response is reactive rather than structural; the broader question is whether Tripura's road and crowd-management systems can absorb a surge of this scale beyond the railway stations. The political optics are also visible: the minister's public thanks to the Prime Minister and the Railway Minister for what is a routine logistical arrangement signals how even functional governance is being leveraged for electoral messaging in a state that has seen competitive politics in recent years.
NationPress
8 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What special trains has NFR announced for Diwali 2026 in Tripura?
Northeast Frontier Railway has announced three pairs of festival special trains in Tripura operating from Sunday to Tuesday during the Diwali season. These trains will run on the Agartala–Sabroom and Agartala–Dharmanagar routes to handle the extra passenger rush.
Why are special trains being run in Tripura for Diwali?
More than 10 lakh devotees and visitors are expected to travel to the Mata Tripura Sundari Temple in Udaipur for the three-day Diwali festival. The special trains are intended to ease congestion on regular services and provide greater travel convenience to pilgrims.
Where is the Mata Tripura Sundari Temple and why is it significant?
The Mata Tripura Sundari Temple is located in Udaipur, approximately 64 km south of Agartala in Gomati district, Tripura. It is a 525-year-old shrine built in 1501 by Maharaja Dhanya Manikya and is recognised as one of the 51 Shakti Peethas in India.
Who will inaugurate the Diwali festival at the temple?
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha is scheduled to inaugurate the three-day Diwali festival at the Mata Tripura Sundari Temple on Sunday evening. Local MLA Abhishek Debroy and Gomati District Magistrate Rinku Lather confirmed that all arrangements have been completed.
How many people are expected to attend the Diwali festival in Tripura this year?
More than 10 lakh devotees and visitors are expected to attend, including a record number of women, according to local MLA Abhishek Debroy. The event is described as one of the biggest Diwali festivals in the entire Northeastern region.
