SGCCI Urges Western Railway to Run More Holiday Special Trains for Migrant Workers

Surat | Gujarat — In the wake of severe overcrowding and passenger hardship at Udhna Railway Station, industry leaders have stepped in to demand urgent railway reforms to protect migrant workers travelling home during the summer rush.

A delegation from the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry met Ramashray Pandey, General Manager of Western Railway, on April 20 and presented a detailed proposal to increase holiday special train services from Surat and surrounding stations.

The delegation included Railway Committee Chairman Rakesh Shah and Secretary Paulik Desai, who highlighted the recurring chaos witnessed at the station in recent years.

Five lakh migrant workers depend on rail travel

Surat’s industries employ nearly five lakh migrant workers from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh. Every April and May, the start of school holidays triggers a massive travel surge as workers return to their hometowns with families.

Despite the predictable seasonal rush, the chamber said insufficient holiday special trains have led to severe overcrowding and disorder at stations.

“Every year, migrant workers face extremely difficult and distressing travel conditions. The situation becomes chaotic due to inadequate train services,” said Nikhil Madrasi, President of SGCCI.

Proposal to run trains from more stations

Currently, most special trains depart only from Udhna, creating intense congestion at a single location. To address this, the chamber proposed running holiday special trains from Surat Railway Station, Bhestan Railway Station, and Chalthan Railway Station in addition to Udhna.

“Running trains from multiple stations will distribute the passenger load and ensure safer, more convenient travel for workers and their families,” Madrasi said.

Industry representatives stressed that improving travel facilities is critical not only for passenger safety but also for the stability of Surat’s industrial workforce.

Railways assure action

After reviewing the presentation, Pandey assured the delegation that Western Railway would work on increasing the number of holiday special trains.

He also appealed to industrial unit owners to encourage workers to travel on different days of the week rather than crowding Sundays, which see peak congestion.

“This will help reduce pressure on railway infrastructure and ensure smoother operations,” he said.