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Aurangabad Railway Station will now be known as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Railway Station, following formal approval from the South Central Railway (SCR). The move aligns with the city’s official name change and marks another step in updating public infrastructure to reflect the new nomenclature. According to A Sridhar, Chief Public Relations Officer of SCR, the new station code will now be CPSN.

The renamed station falls under the Nanded Division of South Central Railway. The official statement, cited by ANI, said that the new name and code will come into effect immediately. All signage, announcements, and digital systems are being updated across platforms, ticketing counters, and reservation databases.

The decision follows the Central Government’s approval of the city’s name change from Aurangabad to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, made in honour of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the valiant Maratha ruler and son of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The move is seen as a step towards restoring Maratha heritage and identity in the region.

Railway officials said that the transition to the new name will be phased to avoid confusion for passengers. Both names may temporarily appear in ticketing and display systems. The renaming covers all associated railway assets including station signage, passenger information systems, and online booking platforms.

Travellers have been advised to check train schedules using the new code CPSN. The previous station code, AWB, will gradually be withdrawn as part of the system-wide update.

Meanwhile, the Indian Railways is operating a record number of special trains to manage the surge in passenger traffic during the ongoing festive season. Western Railway General Manager Vivek Kumar Gupta told ANI that around 12,000 special train services are being run across the country between October 1 and November 30 to facilitate travel during Diwali and Chhath Puja.

Gupta said, “We are running trains on demand. Around 2,000 extra trains have been planned on the Western Railway network.” He also reviewed crowd management and passenger amenities at stations in Gujarat and other regions to ensure safe and comfortable journeys.

According to a Railway Ministry release, 4,493 special train trips have already been operated in the past 21 days, averaging over 200 trips per day. Holding areas with additional amenities, extra ticket counters, CCTV surveillance, and passenger assistance booths have been set up at over 30 major stations to manage the festive rush.

Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that about 1.5 crore passengers have travelled during this festive period so far, with the figure expected to cross 2.5 crore by the end of the season. “We have set up large holding areas at major junctions for smooth crowd management and added extra coaches where needed,” he told reporters in New Delhi.

Indian Railways has also introduced cultural initiatives such as playing Chhath Puja devotional songs at stations across Bihar and Uttar Pradesh to add to the festive atmosphere. Special attention has been given to cleanliness, lighting, and safety, with Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel deployed round the clock.

Ankit Kumar is a Senior Sub Editor at Zee Business. He covers international affairs, politics, climate change, business, finance and global elections. With experience acros