GUWAHATI: The Indian Railways has decided to restrict platform access to only passengers with confirmed tickets at 60 high-traffic stations across the country.
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Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced this on Friday, March 7, after he held a meeting with senior railway officials. The move has been implemented to streamline crowd management and prevent congestion at major railway stations that frequently witness heavy footfall.
“Complete access control will be initiated at the 60 stations,” revealed a statement from the ministry. “Passengers with confirmed reserved tickets will be given direct access to the platforms. Those with waiting list tickets or without tickets will wait in the designated outside waiting areas. All unauthorised entry points at stations will be sealed.”
As part of the initiative, permanent waiting areas will also be constructed outside these locations, and all entry and exit points will be regulated by railway officials.
Pilot projects for the same have already begun in New Delhi, Anand Vihar, Varanasi, Patna, and Ayodhya stations. Officials clarified that under the new system, passengers will be permitted access to the platforms only when their designated train arrives, in a bid to decongest station premises.
Additionally, there will be large-scale CCTV installations across the stations and their surrounding areas to enable close monitoring. War rooms will also be set up at some of the major stations, where officials from multiple departments will coordinate efforts during crowd surges.
Further reforms include the introduction of redesigned ID cards and uniforms for railway staff to enhance visibility in emergencies. A senior officer will be appointed as station director at the most important station, who will also have the financial authority to make immediate decisions regarding crowd management and operational improvements.
