In order to provide ease of travel to pandal-hoppers, the Sealdah and Howrah Divisions of the Eastern Railway have arranged for night-long local EMU services on peak puja days.
The Sealdah division had earlier decided to provide stoppages of all galloping trains in all sections at all stations during Durga Puja festival from 9-12 October. Today, the division was informed about running of round-the-clock train services during Puja days. According to the divisional railway office, Sealdah is to run local EMU services beyond scheduled service time that is from wee hours to 3 am. Apart from the usual services, the division is also to run 18 additional EMU services throughout the night. “The extra EMU trains from midnight to 3 am are anticipated to accommodate more than 64,000 commuters daily during the peak puja days to reach their destination,” said the Sealdah divisional office today.
Earlier, the division had decided to operate seven additional pairs of festival special trains to cater to the increased demand during Durga Puja, Diwali and Chhath Puja. Sealdah division is also to run 136 special train services to different destinations to facilitate tourists in the festive season. Apart from this, all EMU locals of Howrah division are to follow Sunday running schedule on 10-13 October for Durga Puja and on 16 October for Laxmi Puja and on 31st for Kali Puja up to 3 pm on originating basis. Despite a Sunday, on 13 October, Sunday running of EMU trains are to be applicable only up to 3 pm.
Like Sealdah, the Howrah division of the ER has also decided to operate eight additional services of EMU special trains on daily basis having stoppages at all stations en-route. The special services are to be run on the nights of 10/11, 11/12, and 12/13 October.