Indian Railways is implementing several measures to improve crowd management and passenger safety at key stations experiencing heavy footfall. Based on past experiences during festival seasons and Mahakumbh, the following steps have been initiated:

Permanent Holding Areas at 60 Stations

Building on the success of temporary holding areas at stations like Surat, Udhna, Patna, and New Delhi during festival seasons and Mahakumbh, Railways has decided to establish permanent waiting areas at 60 high-footfall stations. Pilot projects have already commenced at New Delhi, Anand Vihar, Varanasi, Ayodhya, and Ghaziabad. These areas will regulate crowds by allowing passengers onto platforms only when trains arrive.

Access Control and Ticketing Regulations

Strict access control will be enforced at these stations, allowing only passengers with confirmed tickets to enter platforms. Unauthorized entry points will be sealed, and those with waiting list tickets will be accommodated in holding areas outside stations.

Infrastructure Upgrades

• Wider Foot-Over-Bridges: New 12-meter and 6-meter-wide FOBs with ramps will be installed at all major stations.
• Surveillance Cameras: A significant increase in CCTV cameras for real-time crowd monitoring.
• War Rooms: Dedicated war rooms will be set up at large stations for coordinated crowd management.
• Digital Communication Systems : Walkie-talkies, advanced announcement systems, and calling systems will enhance communication among railway staff.

Operational Enhancements

• New Uniforms & ID Cards: Staff will be given distinct uniforms and ID cards for easy identification.
• Empowered Station Directors: Senior officers will be designated as station directors with financial authority to take immediate decisions.
• Regulated Ticket Sales: Ticket sales will be controlled as per the station’s capacity and available trains.

These initiatives aim to ensure smoother passenger movement and prevent tragic incidents. A high-level inquiry has been constituted to investigate the New Delhi railway station stampede.

This information was given by the Union Minister of Railways, Information & Broadcasting and Electronics & Information Technology Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw in a written reply in Lok Sabha on 19th March, 2025.

Source/RSB