Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Oct 23: Bengaluru Division of South Western Railway (SWR) achieved a historic milestone on October 20 by operating 316 trains in one day, including 38 on-demand services—its highest ever daily tally. This feat was accomplished during the heavy travel period of Diwali and Chhath festivals, successfully transporting over 1.2 lakh passengers through major hubs like Sir M. Visvesvaraya Terminal (SMVT), KSR Bengaluru (SBC), and Yesvantpur (YPR).

To handle the surge, the railway set up holding areas at key stations with a combined capacity of over 4,000 passengers. These areas were well-equipped with seating, restrooms, drinking water, and CCTV surveillance. A divisional war room monitored live footage to promptly address any issues. Additional personnel, including staff and Railway Protection Force, were deployed to manage ticketing, queues, and crowd control.

Divisional Railway manager Ashutosh K Singh recalled a remarkable incident on October 18 when nearly 1,000 passengers crowded the holding area for the Bhagalpur Express at SMVT. To manage the overflow, six BMTC buses were arranged within half an hour to ferry passengers to Yelahanka, where they boarded a special train arranged for them.

SWR also utilized the ‘Trains of Demand Forecast’ feature within the Passenger Reservation Information Management Enhanced System (PRIME) to predict passenger volumes and optimize resource allocation, ensuring smooth operations during the peak festive season.