Railways to build permanent outside waiting areas, wider FOBs at 60 stations

New Delhi: In a significant move to improve passenger safety, the Ministry of Railways has announced plans to establish permanent outside waiting areas at 60 major railway stations across India. This initiative comes in the wake of last month’s tragic stampede at New Delhi Railway Station that claimed 18 lives due to overcrowding on platforms.

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw convened a meeting with senior officials at Rail Bhawan on Friday to discuss comprehensive crowd control measures for stations that experience high footfall during peak periods.

“During the 2024 festival season, waiting areas created outside the Surat, Udhna, Patna and New Delhi railway stations were able to hold large crowds. Passengers were allowed on the platform only when the train arrived,” the ministry stated in an official release.

The ministry noted that similar arrangements implemented at nine stations in Prayagraj during Maha Kumbh had proven effective, and these experiences will inform the design of the permanent waiting areas.

Pilot projects are already underway 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 the platforms only when the trains arrive. This will decongest the stations,” according to the statement.

The plan includes strict access control measures at these 60 stations. Passengers with confirmed tickets will receive direct platform access, while “those without a ticket or with a waiting list ticket will wait at the outside waiting area and all unauthorised entry points will be sealed.”

Infrastructure improvements include the development of wider Foot Over Bridges (FOBs), with new standard designs for 12-meter and 6-meter wide bridges. Officials reported that these wider FOBs with ramps were particularly successful in managing crowds during the Kumbh.

Enhanced surveillance will play a key role in the new safety protocol. “Cameras also helped crowd management in a big way during Maha Kumbh. A large number of cameras will be installed at all these railway stations and adjoining areas for close monitoring,” the ministry stated.

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

Additional measures include modern communication equipment, new staff identification cards and uniforms for better visibility during emergencies, and the appointment of senior officers as station directors at major locations.

The ministry stated that station directors will have financial authority to make immediate decisions for station improvements and “will be empowered to control the ticket sales as per capacity of the station and the available trains.”