Indian Railways has initiated major capacity additions to assist passengers heading home for the festive season of Diwali and Chhath Puja. Addressing intense travel demand and long waiting lists across regional networks, North Western Railway has officially decided to augment 16 pairs of train services with 39 additional coaches. The temporary capacity addition encompasses air-conditioned, sleeper, and unreserved general compartments, significantly improving the availability of confirmed berths for travellers. This phased deployment begins on Sunday, 1 November, bringing direct convenience to commuters operating out of the Jodhpur division and adjacent regions.
Outlining the operational decision, Divisional Railway Manager Anurag Tripathi stated that the extra coaches are being inducted specifically to accommodate the substantial festive crowds. These additional bogies are scheduled for temporary operation based on fixed calendar dates, providing travellers with a wider selection of choices across both reserved berths and general unreserved accommodation.
Breakdown of Key Train Routes Receiving Extra Coaches
According to the North Western Railway operational schedule, the Jaipur-Jodhpur-Jaipur train (22977/22978) will receive one First AC cum Second AC coach along with one Third AC coach. For commuters travelling along Madhya Pradesh corridors, the Jodhpur-Indore-Jodhpur service (14801/14802) will be augmented with two sleeper class coaches and three general class compartments. Similarly, the Ranthambore Express (12465/12466) running between Indore and Bhagat Ki Kothi will also feature two additional sleeper class coaches and three general unreserved coaches. Catering to eastern destinations, all three pairs of the Marudhar Express linking Jodhpur and Varanasi City (train numbers 14854/14853, 14864/14863, and 14866/14865) will each have one Third AC coach added.
Significant reinforcements have also been made on routes connecting Rajasthan with Mumbai and Gujarat. One Third AC and two sleeper coaches each will be added to the Jodhpur-Dadar Ranakpur Express (14807/14808), the Bhagat Ki Kothi-Dadar Express (20483/20484), and the Bhagat Ki Kothi-Bandra Terminus Special (04827/04828). Additionally, the Jaisalmer-Sabarmati service (20485/20486) and the Sabarmati-Jaisalmer service (20492/20491) will operate with two additional Third AC coaches and one sleeper coach. For long-distance routes toward southern and eastern India, the Sriganganagar-Puri service (20471/20472) and the Sriganganagar-Tiruchchirappalli service (22497/22498) will each be augmented with one Third AC coach, while the Bhagat Ki Kothi-Tiruchchirappalli service (20481/20482) receives an extra sleeper compartment. For links to the national capital region, the Bikaner-Delhi Sarai service (22464/22463) and Delhi Sarai-Jodhpur service (12463/12464) will each gain one Third AC, one sleeper, and one general coach.
Class-Wise Distribution of the 39 Additional Coaches
The cumulative deployment of 39 coaches spans four primary passenger travel segments. Specifically, the augmentation includes 15 Third AC coaches, 15 Second Sleeper class coaches, 8 General unreserved coaches, and one First AC cum Second AC composite coach. This multi-class distribution provides widespread relief to passengers commuting between prominent urban junctions such as Jaipur, Indore, Varanasi, Mumbai, Sabarmati, and Delhi. Railway authorities have advised passengers to verify seat availability and coach composition prior to departure, noting that these extra coaches are being deployed on a temporary basis according to designated scheduling timelines.
