Railway Ministry on high alert for Chhath Puja: War Rooms, AI, & Stampede Prevention

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Railway Board Chairman Satish Kumar have been conducting field inspections at major railway stations, including Anand Vihar and New Delhi, to oversee Chhath Puja arrangements. With an estimated 1.7 crore passengers expected to travel during the festival, the Railways has launched an extensive nationwide operation to ensure passenger safety, especially across poll-bound Bihar.

Three-level war rooms have been established at the divisional, zonal, and Railway Board levels to monitor real-time train movements and crowd conditions through live CCTV feeds. At each major station, mini control rooms coordinate decisions between local and central control points, enabling immediate response to congestion. Artificial Intelligence-based heat mapping and real-time data analytics are being used to track crowd surges and deploy standby trains accordingly.

Holding areas with passenger amenities such as toilets, drinking water, and seating have been created at key hubs like New Delhi, Patna, and Muzaffarpur to prevent overcrowding and stampedes. The Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Railway Protection Special Force (RPSF) units have been reinforced, with drone surveillance and automatic ticket vending systems further modernising the process.

Over 12,000 special trains have been announced to handle the Chhath and Diwali rush, of which 1,500 will run in the four-day peak period from October 23 to 26. The ministry has emphasised that passenger safety, timely operations, and seamless travel remain top priorities as the Chhath festival coincides with election-sensitive movement in Bihar.