TIRUCHY: A total of 21.68 lakh passengers travelled in the Tiruchy railway division from October 1 to 21, Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Balak Ram Negi said on Tuesday. The division covers Tiruchy, Pudukottai, Nagai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Kallakuruchi, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Chidambaram, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Tiruvannamalai, and Puducherry.
Speaking to reporters, Negi said 16 pairs of special express trains were operated in the division, accounting for 116 services, during the period. In addition to special trains, additional coaches were attached to existing trains to cater to demand.
"From October 1 till date, 21.68 lakh passengers travelled across the division - a significant increase compared to the corresponding period last year. The figure includes 16.63 lakh passengers in the unreserved segment and 5.05 lakh in the reserved segment," he said.
Explaining crowd management steps, he said squad TTEs were deployed from originating stations to ensure continuous monitoring, while hourly photos of train coaches and platforms were shared with higher officials to aid timely decisions on ticketing and crowd control, he said.
"A war room was set up in Tiruchy to address operational and crowd-related issues, leading to a sharp reduction in overcrowding complaints under RAIL MADAD. The Railway Protection Force (RPF) enforced strict control at major stations, de-boarding 6,486 unauthorized passengers to ensure safe travel for genuine commuters. To meet rising ticket demand, additional counters were opened at key stations, the DRM added.