In view of the growing demand during the festive season, South Eastern Railway ( SER) has announced the operation of Puja Special trains starting from September 2024. These trains are being introduced to cater to the increased passenger traffic during Durga Puja and Diwali, providing additional travel options for the public. The special trains will connect key destinations, including Kolkata, Puri, Chennai, Patna, and more.
A spokesperson of SER stated, "We are committed to facilitating smooth travel for passengers during the festive season. The introduction of these Puja Specials will ensure that no one faces inconvenience while traveling for Puja celebrations. We have scheduled these trains to run on high-demand routes, making it easier for passengers to reach their destinations."
According to the schedule, the Kolkata-Puri Special (train number 03101) will depart from Kolkata at 23:50 hours every Thursday between October 3 and November 28, 2024, arriving in Puri at 09:35 hours the next day. On the return journey, train number 03102 will leave Puri at 15:00 hours every Friday between October 4 and November 29, reaching Kolkata by 02:00 hours the following day.
Another key service, the Shalimar-MGR Chennai Central Special (train number 02841), is set to operate every Monday from September 30 to November 18, 2024, departing Shalimar at 18:30 hours and arriving in Chennai the next day at 23:20 hours. In the opposite direction, train number 02842 will depart from Chennai on Wednesdays, ensuring connectivity between these two major cities.
"These services have been carefully planned to provide maximum convenience to passengers traveling long distances during the festive season," the spokesperson added. Among the other notable trains is the Gondia-Patna Special (train numbers 08897 and 08898), which will operate on select dates in November, allowing passengers to travel between Gondia and Patna with ease.
In addition, there will be special trains running between Ranchi, Secunderabad, and Ajmer, among other destinations. The Santragachi-Ajmer Special (train number 08611) will depart from Santragachi every Monday from September 30 to November 18, 2024, arriving in Ajmer two days later, while the return service (train number 08612) will operate on Thursdays during the same period.
SER encourages passengers to book their tickets well in advance to avoid last-minute rushes. "The festive season is one of the busiest times of the year, and we urge travelers to plan ahead," emphasized the spokesperson.
In total, 31 Puja Special trains have been announced, offering thousands of additional seats across various routes. "We are also taking steps to ensure that sanitation and hygiene are maintained on all Puja Special trains, making sure that passengers have a safe and enjoyable journey," the spokesperson concluded.
