NE RAILWAY BUREAU
CHENNAI, NOV 7
With Diwali bringing a massive surge in passenger movement, Southern Railway has stepped up its festive preparedness with 132 special trains, additional coaches, unreserved MEMU services and an expanded security deployment to prevent overcrowding and make journeys safer and more comfortable. From ticket counters and station platforms to train compartments, the coordinated arrangements are aimed at ensuring that the festive rush does not turn into a travel ordeal for passengers.
- Southern Railway rolls out 207 special train trips to accommodate the festive travel surge during Diwali 2026
- 22 Mail/Express trains augmented with additional coaches; eight unreserved MEMU services deployed to ease passenger congestion
- Additional 180 RPF personnel, 25 retired RPF staff and 158 GRP personnel mobilised for crowd management and security
- Extra ticket booking windows, help desks, CCTV surveillance and queue management arrangements introduced at major stations
- Mixed security escorts, timely coach-position announcements and punctuality monitoring aimed at safer, smoother journeys
The comprehensive measures cover the last week of October and November 2026, with a focus on meeting additional demand, improving crowd management and maintaining operational efficiency across the Southern Railway network.
207 special train trips to meet festive demand
Southern Railway has operated 132 Diwali special trains, including 62 services from other railway zones, providing a total of 207 trips during the festive season.
In addition, 22 regular Mail/Express trains have been augmented with extra coaches to accommodate more passengers, while eight unreserved MEMU trains have been operated to clear additional passenger rush, including those facing waitlisted travel demand.
The special services connect several high-demand sectors, including Chennai–Madurai–Tirunelveli–
The network has also been extended to important destinations such as Hyderabad in Telangana, Santragachi and Shalimar in West Bengal, and Barauni in Bihar, facilitating inter-State festive travel.
Security net expanded at busy stations
Passenger safety and crowd regulation have received particular attention, with Southern Railway deploying additional security personnel at major stations in Chennai.
Alongside the regular deployment of 300 Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel, another 180 staff members have been deployed at Dr MGR Chennai Central, Chennai Egmore, Perambur, Tambaram, Mambalam, Chennai Beach and St Thomas Mount stations.
Twenty-five retired RPF personnel have also been engaged to assist with security arrangements. The deployment further includes 158 Government Railway Police (GRP) personnel, 30 National Service Scheme (NSS) volunteers and 30 St John Ambulance personnel, working in coordination with the RPF.
Dog squads have been deployed at important stations for anti-sabotage checks, adding another layer to the security arrangements.
CCTV surveillance, queue management and crowd control
Security control rooms are monitoring passenger movement at important stations through Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) systems.
Queue management at originating stations is being coordinated by Operating, Commercial and GRP personnel to regulate passenger entry and facilitate orderly boarding.
To prevent passengers from moving between general and reserved coaches at platform level, vestibules are being closed in coordination with the Operating, Commercial and Mechanical departments.
The arrangement is intended to minimise congestion and ensure that passengers with reserved tickets can access their designated coaches without unnecessary disruption.
Extra ticket counters and passenger help desks
To reduce waiting time and ease ticket-booking pressure, additional booking windows have been opened at major stations, including Dr MGR Chennai Central, Chennai Egmore, Tambaram, Madurai, Tiruchchirappalli, Palakkad, Thiruvananthapuram Central and Salem.
Commercial staff have been positioned at strategic locations to guide passengers, address queries and provide assistance.
Special help desks have also been established at major stations to facilitate passenger guidance and faster crowd clearance.
Timely announcements regarding train schedules and coach positions are being made to help passengers identify their boarding points well in advance and avoid last-minute confusion.
Women’s safety and punctuality under watch
Long-distance trains are being provided with mixed escort teams to offer real-time assistance, with particular attention to the safety and comfort of women passengers.
Southern Railway is also closely monitoring the punctuality of both regular and special trains to ensure timely arrivals and departures. Priority is being accorded to popular services to manage the increased festive traffic efficiently.
With additional carrying capacity, strengthened station security and enhanced passenger-assistance facilities, Southern Railway’s Diwali arrangements seek to make festive journeys more orderly, secure and convenient.
For passengers, the message is clear: check train timings and coach positions through official railway channels, reach stations sufficiently early, follow queue-management instructions and seek assistance from railway personnel whenever required.