BENGALURU: The Bengaluru Division of South Western Railway (SWR) operated 316 trains in a single day on October 20, including 38 trains on demand — the highest ever in its history. The achievement came amid the festive rush of Diwali and Chhath, ensuring the safe dispatch of over 1.2 lakh passengers through key terminals such as Sir M. Visvesvaraya Terminal (SMVT), KSR Bengaluru (SBC), and Yesvantpur (YPR).
To manage crowds, holding areas were created at key terminals — accommodating over 4,000 passengers collectively — equipped with seating, toilets, CCTV surveillance, and drinking water facilities. A divisional war room also monitored live CCTV feeds, enabling immediate action. Additional staff and Railway Protection Force personnel were deployed for ticketing, queue management, and crowd control.
Recalling an unprecedented incident, Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Ashutosh K Singh said, “A standout moment came on October 18, when nearly 1,000 passengers overcrowded the holding area for Train No. 12253 Bhagalpur Express at SMVT. In response, six BMTC buses were arranged within 30 minutes to transport passengers to Yelahanka, where they were accommodated in another special train.”
He further stated that the SWR had employed the auto analysis feature called the ‘Trains of demand forecast’ part of the Passenger Reservation Information Management Enhanced System (PRIME) to foresee the crowd and efficiently manage the same.