New Delhi, 20 April (H.S.):

The Railway Ministry has announced the operation of special trains across the country on a large scale to meet the sharp rise in passenger demand during the summer season. Between April 15 and July 15, a total of 908 special trains will be run, making 18,262 trips in all.

The ministry said on Monday that 660 of these trains have already been notified, covering 11,294 trips. This advance announcement is expected to help passengers with booking and travel planning.

Among the zones, South Central Railway is leading with 124 trains and 1,184 trips approved, of which 76 trains and 324 trips have already been notified. Western Railway has approved 106 trains for 2,078 trips, including 92 notified trains covering 1,667 trips. North Western Railway has approved 76 trains for 2,245 trips, with 62 trains and 1,878 trips already notified.

Northern Railway has approved 76 trains for 2,090 trips, of which 56 trains and 1,535 trips have been notified. Central Railway has approved 74 trains for 3,082 trips, with 70 trains and 2,238 trips notified. Southern Railway has approved 72 trains for 558 trips, of which 38 trains and 133 trips have been notified. East Central Railway has approved 64 trains for 2,711 trips, with 38 trains and 1,060 trips notified.

North Central Railway has approved 54 trains for 1,163 trips, of which 46 trains and 688 trips have been notified. Northeast Frontier Railway has approved 52 trains for 814 trips, with 34 trains and 477 trips notified. East Coast Railway has approved 28 trains for 410 trips, of which 18 trains and 88 trips have been notified. West Central Railway has approved 28 trains for 408 trips, with 18 trains and 192 trips notified.

Eastern Railway has approved 24 trains for 392 trips, of which 10 trains and 276 trips have been notified. North Eastern Railway has approved 24 trains for 220 trips, with 20 trains and 141 trips notified. South Eastern Railway has approved 20 trains for 276 trips, of which 18 trains and 250 trips have been notified. South East Central Railway has approved 10 trains for 122 trips, with 8 trains and 70 trips notified. South Western Railway has approved 76 trains for 509 trips, of which 56 trains and 277 trips have been notified.

According to the ministry, these special trains will help reduce waiting lists during the summer peak season, create additional berth availability and improve the chances of passengers securing confirmed tickets. The extra services on major routes are also expected to make travel smoother and more comfortable.

The ministry said the extensive plan has been designed with passenger convenience as the top priority, so that travel pressure during holidays and festivals can be managed effectively and inconvenience to the public can be minimised.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar