In a swift response to widespread flight disruptions, the East Coast Railway (ECoR) has announced significant capacity enhancements on key routes originating from Odisha. The move comes as a relief to thousands of passengers left stranded after a spate of flight cancellations, who are now turning to railways and interstate buses for travel.
Extra Coaches Added to Key Trains
The railway administration, headquartered in Bhubaneswar, is part of a nationwide initiative to deploy 116 additional coaches across 37 trains. For ECoR, this translates into immediate action on five important trains. Two AC coaches have been added to the Rajdhani Express, the Puri–Ajmer Superfast Express, and the Visakhapatnam–Nanded Superfast Express.
Furthermore, to accommodate more budget-conscious travelers, three AC coaches have been incorporated into both the Puri-Shalimar Garib Rath Express and the Puri-Yesvantpur Garib Rath Express. This expansion aims to meet the sudden spike in ticket bookings witnessed over the past few days.
Six Special Trains Launched for Key Routes
Beyond adding coaches, ECoR has rolled out a plan to operate six special trains between December 7 and December 9. This is a direct measure to clear the extra passenger load. The schedule for these special services is as follows:
- The Bhubaneswar-Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) Special will depart from Bhubaneswar on Sunday, December 8.
- The return Lokmanya Tilak Terminus-Sambalpur Special will commence its journey from LTT on December 9.
- The Puri-Anand Vihar Terminal Special is scheduled to leave Puri on December 8.
- The Anand Vihar Terminal-Bhubaneswar Special will depart from Anand Vihar Terminal on December 9.
- Additionally, two special trains will connect Visakhapatnam and Bengaluru on December 8 and 9.
ECoR has also confirmed that three more special trains will pass through various stations in Odisha, further augmenting connectivity.
Passenger Advisory and Alternative Travel Rush
The railways have advised passengers to check for real-time seat availability through the IRCTC website, the NTES app, and official railway enquiry services. This is crucial as the situation is dynamic and seats are filling up rapidly.
The ripple effect of flight cancellations is also evident on the roads. Reports indicate a significant rush on luxury interstate bus services to destinations like Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Raipur, and Visakhapatnam over the last three days. This underscores the scale of the travel disruption and the urgent need for alternative arrangements that ECoR is now addressing.
This coordinated effort by the East Coast Railway highlights its proactive approach in managing passenger convenience during unexpected travel crises, ensuring that connectivity from Odisha to major Indian cities remains robust.
