Jaya Verma Sinha
Our nation is unique and teeming with diversity in many aspects. We have a long-established tradition of looking at things from a different perspective. For us, the Ganga and Godavari are not just names of rivers; they are synonymous with a mother who gives life. Music is not merely for providing pleasure to the ears but a means to practice and master pitch and rhythm. Similarly, Indian Railways is not just a train equipped with an engine and a couple of coaches; it is a bridge of emotional relationships that connects our workers, farmers, soldiers, and crores of citizens with their families and relatives. Our trains are not merely running on tracks from East to West or North to South; they are, in fact, a passage for a complex web of feelings and emotions. Encompassing the diversity of the entire nation, Indian Railways is both a representative of the Government of India and a symbol of the aspirations of its citizens.
The litmus test of these aspirations comes up every year during the festive season when crores of people living away from their families return home. After toiling in the anonymity of metropolitan life for a year, the hardworking individuals embark on train journeys in huge numbers with the hope of reuniting with their loved ones. The number of passengers traveling by train during this season is so vast that it could overwhelm those who have not worked under such circumstances. In such situations, merely managing smooth train operations is not enough. You also have to ensure proper facilities such as ticket booking, accommodation, and drinking water for those coming to railway stations. Apart from railway officials and employees, several voluntary organizations also provide help and support in managing this situation. Indian Railways had decades of experience in helping crores of passengers reach their destinations daily but now the focus is on making this experience a pleasant one.
Foreign guests are often shocked at the scale of operations when this topic is discussed. Many experts in traffic management are surprised to learn that, during the festive season, Indian Railways operated 7,700 special trains in addition to 1,70,000 train trips. Consider the industrial town of Udhna near Surat which typically handles seven to eight thousand passengers daily, but on November 4, a massive crowd of 40,000 passengers gathered at this small station. Without the railway administration’s coordinated efforts and proper arrangements, the passengers’ challenges would have been unimaginable. New Delhi railway station witnessed the highest traffic during the festive season, with 64 special trains and 19 unreserved trains operating on demand during this period.
When the topic of train travel during the festive season was discussed in a meeting with foreign guests, one diplomat was astonished to learn that this year, before Chhath Mahaparv, at least three crore people traveled by train on November 4 alone, and approximately 25 crore people used Indian Railways during the festive season to reach their destinations. Smiling, the diplomat remarked, “More people than the total population of Pakistan traveled by your trains in just a few days.”
Indian Railways recognizes that our brothers and sisters from the eastern part of the country, working in large numbers in industrial centers, play a crucial role in the development of nation. From the Atal Tunnel in Jammu to Mumbai’s Sea Link, from Bengaluru’s IT establishments to Delhi’s under-construction buildings, all bear the imprint of hardworking individuals from eastern India. Whether it is Army or BSF personnel posted on the country’s borders, laborers growing crops in Punjab’s fields, employees working in government offices and private institutions, or students studying in prestigious educational institutions, all are shaping the India of today and tomorrow in their unique ways.
Indian Railways has embarked on a new and world-class journey by launching modern trains like Vande Bharat, Amrit Bharat, and Namo Bharat, equipped with advanced technology and facilities. Additionally, over a thousand railway stations across the country are being transformed into Amrit stations. The evolving picture of a changing India is now reflected in the transformation of Indian Railways.
(The writer is holds the distinction of being the first woman to have served as Chairman and CEO of Indian Railways).