Indian Railways has drawn up a plan to relocate several trains from New Delhi and Old Delhi railway stations to alternative terminals in a bid to manage the heavy passenger rush anticipated during the Diwali and Chhath festivals. A proposal to shift 14 trains has been sent to the Railway Board for approval, according to a report by Live Hindustan.
The move comes in the wake of the overcrowding incident at New Delhi station in February and also aligns with upcoming station redevelopment projects that require decongestion measures.
Festival-season transfers
As part of the proposal, two clone trains bound for Barauni and Darbhanga Junction will be shifted from New Delhi to Safdarjung station. In addition, six trains currently operating from Old Delhi station will be relocated to Shakur Basti, including services to Hisar, Shri Ganganagar, Narwana, Jakhal, Bathinda, and Kurukshetra.
Proposed train changes, check list here
The plan includes the following changes
Barauni–New Delhi (02563) and New Delhi–Barauni (02564) to terminate at Safdarjung.
Darbhanga–New Delhi (02569) and New Delhi–Darbhanga (02570) to operate from Safdarjung.
Delhi–Bathinda (14731) and Bathinda–Delhi (14732) to shift to Shakur Basti.
Delhi–Shri Ganganagar (12481) and Shri Ganganagar–Delhi (12482) also to run from Shakur Basti.
Additional services to Narwana, Hisar, Kurukshetra, and Jakhal to be moved to the same terminal.
Decongestion and redevelopment
Officials noted that the transfers aim to ease congestion for passengers while allowing smooth progress of station redevelopment at major terminals. Once the Railway Board clears the proposal, a revised timetable will be issued.
Earlier, several trains had already been relocated to Anand Vihar and Hazrat Nizamuddin stations as part of the first phase of decongestion. The second phase, involving Safdarjung and Shakur Basti, is expected to further streamline passenger movement and reduce crowding during the peak festive travel period.