Even before the sun sets on Chhath offerings, Northern Railway’s Lucknow division has planned the reverse flow. On 27 October it confirmed 46 post-Chhath special trains that will depart from 28 October, connecting Bihar with industrial hubs such as Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
The ad-hoc services—largely overnight expresses with limited halts—arise from data that showed a 55 per cent spike in no-shows on factory floors in 2024 due to inadequate return connectivity. This year, the Division coordinated with state transport departments to synchronise bus links from ghats to stations and arranged on-platform medical kiosks to treat exhaustion-related issues.
For companies, the ‘return specials’ are crucial in limiting the productivity dip that follows the festival. Large logistics firms in the National Capital Region report that up to 30 per cent of warehouse labour hails from eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar; many are booked on the first batch of specials.
Mobility managers applauded the advance notification but cautioned that tickets are available only through PRS counters, not IRCTC, to prevent touting. Employers organising group movements have been asked to submit passenger manifests 12 hours before departure so that railway police can seat co-workers together, reducing crowding in aisles.
The initiative also demonstrates Indian Railways’ growing use of predictive analytics: origin–destination flows from 2024 were mined to time departures around 23:00, aligning with typical completion of post-Chhath family rituals.
The ad-hoc services—largely overnight expresses with limited halts—arise from data that showed a 55 per cent spike in no-shows on factory floors in 2024 due to inadequate return connectivity. This year, the Division coordinated with state transport departments to synchronise bus links from ghats to stations and arranged on-platform medical kiosks to treat exhaustion-related issues.
For companies, the ‘return specials’ are crucial in limiting the productivity dip that follows the festival. Large logistics firms in the National Capital Region report that up to 30 per cent of warehouse labour hails from eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar; many are booked on the first batch of specials.
Mobility managers applauded the advance notification but cautioned that tickets are available only through PRS counters, not IRCTC, to prevent touting. Employers organising group movements have been asked to submit passenger manifests 12 hours before departure so that railway police can seat co-workers together, reducing crowding in aisles.
The initiative also demonstrates Indian Railways’ growing use of predictive analytics: origin–destination flows from 2024 were mined to time departures around 23:00, aligning with typical completion of post-Chhath family rituals.
