Bhubaneswar: In view of the upcoming Rath Yatra, the Ministry of Railways has decided to provide convenience to the devotees coming to Puri by trains, railway officials said Thursday.
Expecting a huge congregation, East Coast Railway (ECoR) has planned 315 special trains along with sanitation and cleanliness of station premises as well as safety and security of people, officials said. ECoR said that special trains will run from almost all parts of the state and from neighboring Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal. Large number of extra coaches will be put into services. Special Trains will be run by using AI-based dynamic Scheduling System.
Railways aim to carry around 15 lakh passengers to and from Puri during the festival. Emphasis will be given on effective announcements at the stations and an effortless ticketing system, by operating additional ticket booking counters, officials said. A round-the-clock control room will be opened to look into passengers’ issues as well as smooth train operations, they added.
Some of the measures to be implemented during the festival include train Information system/enquiry counters, video wall displays, UTS on mobile app, waiting areas and sheds to accommodate around 15,000 pilgrims and devotees. Other arrangements include food catering and hospitality, medical facilities and emergency ambulance services. The railway will ensure an uncut power supply besides providing drinking water facilities and unisex toilets for the convenience of passengers.
Railway officials said that in order to handle the rush of pilgrims, additional booking counters will be opened at Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Khurda Road, Berhamapur, Balugaon, Khalikot, Paradeep, Bhadrak and Jajpur-Keonjhar Road along with other important stations in its jurisdiction. Passenger Help Desks will be set up near the buffer ends of platforms to guide the passengers, they said. A number of ‘Train Timetable Boards’ will be put up at strategic locations at Puri railway station. A temporary shed is being erected at the railway station to accommodate surplus devotees. Also, CCTV cameras will be installed in and around the station to keep a close watch on anti-social activities
ARINDAM GANGULY, OP