Thiruvananthapuram: The Southern Railway operated 132 special trains and augmented 22 Mail and Express services to facilitate passenger travel during the Diwali festive season.

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The 132 special trains, including 62 operated by other railway zones, made a total of 207 trips to cater to the increased passenger demand, a statement said on Friday.

Eight unreserved Mainline Electric Multiple Unit (MEMU) services were also operated to handle the additional rush.

The special trains connected major destinations such as Chennai, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Kanniyakumari, Rameswaram, Thiruvananthapuram, Mumbai, New Delhi and Bengaluru, besides several other cities across the country, the statement said.

As part of its crowd management measures, an additional 180 Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel and 25 retired RPF staff were deployed at major railway stations in Chennai.

Personnel from the National Service Scheme, St John Ambulance and the Government Railway Police were engaged to assist passengers and maintain security.

CCTV-based surveillance, queue management arrangements and additional booking counters were put in place at major stations. Special help desks were also set up to guide passengers, the railway authorities said.

Security escorts were provided on long-distance trains, with particular attention to the safety of women passengers, the statement added.

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