With the four- day Chhath puja set to be observed from November 5 to November 8, special trains will be operated by the South Eastern Railways (SER) to manage the crowd during the festival.

Chhath Puja is a festival honouring the Sun God- the symbol of life wisdom, and energy. While paying obeisance during both sunrise and sunset, devotes seek blessings for family, health and longevity. It is predominantly celebrated in the states of Jharkhand, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

The special train will be operational on certain routes to accommodate the increased demand during the festival season. These trains aim to make travel easier for those returning home to celebrate with family and also ensure that passengers can travel comfortable by avoiding the usual rush experienced during this time of the year.

As per the SER notification, one of the three trains will run from Ttanagar while the other two will be operational from Ranchi.

Train number 08181 Tatanagar- Katihar Special will leave Tatanagar on November 4 and on November 11 at 10:40 pm and reach Katihar at 3:15 pm the next day. In the return direction, train number 08182 Katihar- Tatanagar Special will leave Katihar on November 5 and also on November 12 at 7:40 pm and reach Tatanagar at 11 am the next day.

The Special train will have stoppages at Chandil, Purulia and Joychandi Pahar under the SER jurisdiction.

Train number 08626 Ranchi- Purnia Court Special will depart from Ranchi on November 3 and also on November 10 at 6 pm and arrive at Purnia Court at 11 am the next day. Correspondingly, in the return direction, train number 08625 Purnia Court- Ranchi Special will depart from Purnia Court on November 4 and also on November 11 at 12.10 pm and will arrive at Ranchi at 5.30 am the next day.

The Special train will have stoppages at Muri and Bokaro Steel City under the SER jurisdiction.

The notification stated the third train to be the Ranchi- Anand Vihar- Ranchi Special. Train number 02877 Ranchi- Anand Vihar Special is scheduled to depart from Ranchi on November 1, November 8 as well as on November 15 at 11:55 pm and arrive at Anand Vihar at 3 pm, the third day. Correspondingly, for the return journey, train number 02878 Anand Vihar- Ranchi Special is scheduled to leave from Anand Vihar on November 3, November 10 and also on November 17 at 4 am while its scheduled arrival at Ranchi is at 5 am the following day.

The Ranchi- Anand Vihar- Ranchi Special train will have a stoppage at Muri under the South Eastern Railway jurisdiction.

The festive season which kicks off with Sharadiya Navratri followed by Diwali and Chhat Puja is also the time when those living away from the family return home to participate in the festivities. With the huge rush, securing tickets can be nightmare and this initiative by the South Eastern Railways will be a welcome move ensuring smooth travel during the holiday season.