Permanent Outside Waiting Area at 60 Rail Stations: Railways

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1 year ago

Scene at Platform Number 14 at New Delhi station after stampede.

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Pilot Projects Started at New Delhi, Anand Vihar, Varanasi, Ayodhya, & Patna Stations

By Web Desk

New Delhi, March 7: A high-level meeting chaired by Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw on crowd control at stations decided to take several steps to avert stampede situations.

The decisions include creation of permanent outside holding areas for crowd at 60 stations. The decisions were taken in the wake of the New Delhi station stampede.

Following decision has been taken.

Permanent outside waiting areas at 60 stations:

During the festival season of 2024, waiting areas were created outside stations. These waiting areas were able to hold large crowds at Surat Udhna, Patna and New Delhi. Passengers were allowed only when the train came to the platform.
Similar arrangements were made during Mahakumbh at nine stations of Prayag area.
Based on the experience of these stations, we have decided to create permanent waiting areas outside stations at 60 stations across the country which periodically face heavy crowds.
Pilot projects have started at New Delhi, Anand Vihar, Varanasi, Ayodhya, and Patna stations.
With this concept, the sudden crowd will be contained within the waiting area. Passengers will be allowed to go to platforms only when the trains arrive at the platform. This will decongest the stations.

2. Access control:

Complete access control will be initiated at the 60 stations.
Passengers with confirmed reserve tickets will be given direct access to the platforms.
Passengers without a ticket or with a waiting list ticket will wait in the outside waiting area.
All unauthorised entry points will be sealed.

3. Wider foot-over-bridges (FOB):

Two new designs of 12 metre wide (40 feet) and 6 metre wide (20 feet) standard FOB have been developed. These wide FOBs with ramps were very effective in crowd management during Mahakumbh. These new standard wide FOBs will be installed in all the stations.

4. Cameras:

Cameras helped crowd management in a big way during Mahakumbh. A large number of cameras will be installed in all stations and adjoining areas for close monitoring.

5. War rooms:

War rooms at large stations will be developed. Officers of all departments will work in the war room during crowd situations.

6. New generation communication equipment:

Latest design digital communication equipment like walkie-talkies, announcement systems, calling systems will be installed on all heavy crowd stations.

New design ID card:

All staff and service persons will be given a new design ID card so that only authorised persons can enter the station.

8. New design uniform for staff:

All staff members will be given new design uniforms so that they can be easily identified during a crisis situation.
Upgradation of station director post:

All major stations will have a senior officer as station director. All other departments will report to the station director.
Station director will get financial empowerment so that he can take on-the-spot decisions for improving the station.