CR proposes new trains to Gorakhpur, Danapur & Pune to beat overcrowding

Nagpur: In response to challenges posed by overcrowding, the Central Railway Nagpur Division has proposed new trains to destinations like Danapur in Bihar, Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh and Pune in Maharashtra.“Additional trains have been proposed to key north-bound destinations such as Gorakhpur and Danapur from both Ballarshah and Nagpur stations,” said Aman Mittal, senior divisional commercial manager (SrDCM).The initiative, Mittal said, aims to provide more travel options and distribute passenger flow more evenly, thereby reducing crowding in existing services. “The new trains proposed will initially run as specials and will be regularized after looking into their occupancies,” Mittal said.Presently, two trains — 12791 Secunderabad-Danapur Express and 12295 Bengaluru-Danapur Sanghmitra Express — operate daily via Nagpur but they are always fully occupied . Similarly, six mail/express trains — five weekly and one tri-weekly — run towards Gorakhpur from Nagpur division. Besides, two weekly special trains are also operating. As these trains are packed from the originating stations, the waiting list is always high.Railway Yatri Sangh (RYS) founder Brij Bhushan Shukla has welcomed the move. “There is long-pending demand for new trains to Pune, Danapur and Gorakhpur from citizens as well as politicians. Though track availability may be an issue, several rakes must be available after their conversion into LHB coaches,” he said.On Sunday, the Nagpur Central Railway established a dedicated war room to manage and alleviate the overcrowding issues effectively. “This initiative is a collaborative effort of the electrical, operating, commercial, and carriage, wagons departments and others. Teams are working round-the-clock to monitor and manage the situation effectively,” Mittal said.One officer is posted at the war room 24x7 to ensure seamless coordination. Divisional railway manager Manish Agarwal monitors minute-to-minute developments. The centralized approach is designed to provide solutions and enhance passenger experience.“To facilitate smooth boarding for ticket holders, special teams of ticket-checking staff and RPF have been deployed across sleeper and general coaches. Also, a dedicated ‘May I Help You’ booth has been established, offering support and guidance to passengers throughout their journey,” said Mittal.Issuance of excess fare tickets for destinations prone to overcrowding has been temporarily suspended to streamline ticketing processes and minimize overcrowding on platforms. “We have deployed special teams across sleeper and general coaches to facilitate hassle-free boarding for ticket holders, aiming to minimize congestion and inconvenience during peak travel times,” the official said.CR has appealed to passengers to refrain from boarding reserved coaches without a proper ticket.