Platform Entry Restricted by Indian Railways for Passengers with Waiting Tickets

Only passengers with confirmed tickets will be permitted onto platforms at 60 of the busiest railway stations.

New Delhi, To enhance safety and ease congestion at 60 of the busiest railway stations, Indian Railways has declared that only customers with confirmed tickets will be allowed onto the platforms. This is a part of a larger crowd control plan intended to handle high pedestrian traffic efficiently.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, after a meeting with top officials on Friday, announced the new measures aimed at preventing overcrowding at big and important stations nationwide.

Important Steps and Activities

Controlled access to platforms: Individuals without tickets or on the waiting list will have to wait in designated waiting areas, and passengers with confirmed tickets will have direct access to platforms.
All the unauthorized entry points will be sealed. To improve security and control the passenger flow, all other platform access points beside the main entry and exit will be closed.

Safety Measures from Previous Incidents

The decision comes after a horrific incident at New Delhi Railway Station last month, in which 18 people died in a stampede caused by overcrowding. To avoid such incidents in the future, Indian Railways is implementing structured crowd management measures based on past experiences.

In 2024, during the festival season, temporary waiting spaces at Surat, Udhna, Patna, and New Delhi railway stations were effective in managing massive crowds. During the Maha Kumbh, a similar crowd control measure was used at nine Prayagraj stations and provided impressive results.

Infrastructure Upgrades

Wider Foot Over Bridges (FOBs): To improve the passenger flow at the stations, new, wider FOBs with ramps will be constructed at these major stations.

New Management Measures

Staff Identification and Authority Upgrades: New ID cards and uniforms will be issued for Indian Railways employees and service personnel for identification in an emergency situation. Also, a senior officer would be appointed as Station Director at major railway stations with financial autonomy and will be in charge of improving station operations.

Station Directors will be given the authority to limit ticket sales depending on station capacity and train availability.

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