NEW DELHI — In a comprehensive move to manage massive passenger surges and ensure safety, Indian Railways has rolled out a series of robust crowd-control measures. Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw detailed the extensive plan in the Rajya Sabha, highlighting the creation of dedicated holding areas, strict access control, and enhanced AI-driven surveillance.
Dedicated Holding Areas and Access Control To significantly reduce dangerous congestion on platforms, the Railways will develop permanent passenger holding areas at 76 identified high-footfall stations.
A complete access control system will be implemented to streamline movement:
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Platform Access: Only passengers holding confirmed reserved tickets will be granted direct entry to the platforms.
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Holding Areas: Passengers with unconfirmed/waitlisted tickets or those arriving early will be accommodated in designated holding areas outside the main platform zones.
The holding area at the New Delhi Railway Station has already been successfully commissioned. It is fully equipped with seating, RO drinking water, separate toilets (including for Divyangjans), automatic ticket vending machines (ATVMs), luggage scanners, door-frame metal detectors (DFMDs), and real-time electronic train information boards.
“Similar facilities at other stations are in various stages of planning and execution,” Vaishnaw informed the upper house.
Technological and Infrastructure Upgrades The Railways is heavily leveraging new technology and expanded infrastructure to manage peak-hour crowds effectively:
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AI Surveillance: AI-enabled CCTV cameras are being installed across stations and adjoining areas for real-time crowd monitoring.
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War Rooms: Dedicated command centers will be established at major stations to coordinate rapid responses across all departments.
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Wider Bridges: New designs for 12-metre and 6-metre wide foot-over-bridges (FOBs) will be installed to ease the flow of passenger traffic.
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Digital Communication: High-footfall stations will receive new-generation walkie-talkies and advanced public announcement systems.
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Staff Identification: Railway staff and service personnel will be issued QR code-based ID cards for secure access and new uniforms for easy identification during emergencies.
Empowering Station Directors To ensure swift administrative action during crises, the post of Station Director at major stations is being significantly upgraded. Senior officers will now hold the financial power to make critical on-the-spot decisions.
“All departments will report to the Station Director to ensure unified command,” the minister added.
Crucially, Station Directors will now be empowered to dynamically regulate or halt ticket sales based on the real-time capacity of the station and train availability, preventing dangerous overcrowding before it begins.
