In order to cater to the surge in passenger traffic during the forthcoming Navratri festival , the Indian Railways has extended the facility of an additional Third AC (3AC) coach on Train No. 12426, the Jammu–New Delhi Rajdhani Express, from March 16 to March 20.
Officials said the decision was taken by the Jammu Division under the guidance of Divisional Railway Manager Vivek Kumar to accommodate the heavy rush of passengers, particularly devotees travelling to seek 'darshan' at the revered Vaishno Devi Temple during the festival.
Navratri brings a massive surge of pilgrims to Mata Vaishno Devi, with over 1.25 lakh devotees typically visiting during the nine-day festival. While heavy crowds, long waiting times (12–20 hours) for 'darshan', and high demand for transport and accommodation is seen every six months around the festival, it is mainly the trains that devotees take as mode of transport from across the country.
In view of huge demand of travel tickets, which devotees seek in advance, Railways authorities have made arrangements for additional coach for Rajdhani Express, the train that arrives from Delhi. The move is expected to reduce waiting lists and increase the availability of confirmed tickets for travellers during the Navratri celebrations. Earlier, an additional 3AC coach had also been attached to the train on March 13, 14 and 15. With the extension of the facility, around 72 additional berths will be available on each trip of the Rajdhani Express during the specified period.
Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Uchit Singhal said the primary objective was to ensure that the passengers were able to secure confirmed tickets, and travel safely and comfortably during the festive season. He added that railway authorities were closely monitoring passenger movement and may introduce similar measures depending on demand. Passengers have been advised to check seat availability and train status through the IRCTC website or the Railway Helpline 139.
Follow us
