Parliament Question: Prevention and management of stampedes

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3952 ANSWERED ON 27.03.2026 PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF STAMPEDES 3952 DR. FAUZIA KHAN: Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state: (a) the steps taken to strengthen crowd management, safety protocols and emergency response at major railway stations, particularly during festival seasons and peak travel hours; (b) whether Railways has conducted recent risk assessments and infrastructure audits of high-footfall stations to identify potential stampede triggers and overcrowding points; (c) if so, the key findings and follow-up action taken; and (d) the steps taken to ensure clear communication with passengers during emergencies, including multilingual announcements, digital signage and accessible evacuation plans for differently-abled or elderly travellers? ANSWER MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW) ***** (a) to (d) :To handle heavy rush of passengers at stations over the Indian Railways, following decisions have been taken: 1. Creation of Permanent holding areas at 76 identified stations for crowd management: i. The Ministry of Railways has initiated plans to establish passenger holding areas to decongest the platforms at 76 stations, designed as comfortable, organized spaces with essential amenities such as seating, drinking water, toilets, ticketing facilities, information displays, and security checks to handle peak-hour footfall. Holding area at New Delhi Railway Station has already been commissioned, easing congestion and enhancing passenger convenience with facilities like additional ticket counters, ATVMs, PAS, electronic train information boards, CCTV surveillance, luggage scanners, DFMDs, uninterrupted power supply, improved lighting, HVLS fans, fire- fighting and lightning protection systems, RO drinking water, and separate toilets for men, women, and Divyangjans. ii. Similar provisions at other stations are under various stages of planning and execution, with timelines subject to iterative optimization. Page 1 of 6 §2. Access control: Complete access control is being provided, allowing passengers with confirmed reserved tickets direct entry to the platforms, while those without tickets or holding waiting list tickets will be accommodated in designated outside waiting areas. Complete access control is being provided where passengers with confirmed reserved tickets will be given direct access to the platforms whereas, passengers without a ticket or with a waiting list ticket will wait in the holding area. 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 new standard wide FOBs will be installed in all the stations. 4. CCTV Cameras: A large number of AI-enabled CCTV cameras are being installed at railway stations and adjoining areas to facilitate close monitoring and effective crowd management. 5. War rooms: War rooms are being established at major stations, where officers from all departments will work in coordination to manage crowd situations effectively. 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. 7. New design ID card: All staff and service personnel will be issued newly designed QR-based ID cards to ensure controlled and secure access to 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. 9. Upgradation of Station Director post: At all major stations, a senior officer will be designated as the Station Director, vested with financial powers to take on-the-spot decisions for station improvement. All other departments will report directly to the Station Director to ensure unified command and efficient management. Page 2 of 6 §10. Sale of tickets as per capacity: Station Director will be empowered to control the sale of tickets as per capacity of the station and the available trains. Ministry of Railways has launched Amrit Bharat Station Scheme for redevelopment of stations with a long-term approach. The scheme involves preparation of master plans and their implementation in phases to improve the stations. The master planning includes:  Improvement of access to station and circulating areas.  Integration of station with both sides of city.  Improvement of station building.  Improvement of waiting halls, toilets, sitting arrangement, water booths.  Provision of wider foot over bridge/air concourse commensurate with passenger traffic.  Provision of lift/escalators/ramp.  Improvement/Provision of platform surface and cover over platforms.  Provision of kiosks for local products through schemes like 'One Station One Product'  Parking areas, Multimodal integration.  Amenities for Divyangjans.  Better passenger information systems.  Provision of executive lounges, nominated spaces for business meetings, landscaping, etc. keeping in view the necessity at each station. The scheme also envisages sustainable and environment friendly solutions, provision of ballastless tracks etc. as per necessity, phasing and feasibility and creation of city centre at the station in the long term. Completed stations: So far, 1,338 stations have been identified for development under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. Development works at railway stations under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme have been taken up at a good pace. Till now, works have been completed at 180 stations. Names of stations completed so far are as following: Alnavar, Amb Andaura, Ambikapur, Amgaon, Anandpur Sahib, Anara, Angamali For Kaladi, Ayodhya Dham, Badami, Bagalkot, Baijnath Paprola, Balrampur, Bantawala, Barabhum, Baramati, Bareilly City, Page 3 of 6 §Baripada, Barmer, Barpali, Begumpet, Beohari, Chidambaram, Bhanupratappur, Bhilai, Bhind, Bijnor, Bimalgarh, Bommidi, Bundi, Chanda Fort, Chalakudi, Changanassery, Chennai Park, Chhindwara, Chinchpokli, Chinna Salem, Chirayinkeezh, Cuttack, Dakor, Derol, Deshnoke, Deviali, Dharwad, Dhule, Dongargarh, Fatehabad, Fatehpur, Fatehpur Shekhawati, Ferok, Gadag, Gangapur City, Godda, Godhra Jn., Gogameri, Gokak Road, Gola Gokarnath, Gomti Nagar, Govardhan, Govind Garh, Govindpuri, Govindpur Road, Hafizpeta, Haibargaon, Haldia, Hapa, Harpalpur, Hathras City, Hodal, Idgah Agra Jn., Izzatnagar, Jaisalmer, Jam Jodhpur, Jam Wanthali, Joychandi Pahar, Junnor Deo, Kakinada Town, Kalyani Ghoshpara, Kamakhyaguri, Kanalus Jn., Karaikkudi Jn., Karamsad, Karimnagar, Katni South, Kedgaon, Khairthal, Khambhaliya, Khalilabad, Koppal, Kosamba Jn., Kulitturai, Kuttipuram, Lasalgaon, Limbdi, Lohardaga, Lonand Jn., Mahe, Mahuva, Mailani, Mandal Garh, MandawarMahwa Road, Madhupur, Mambalam, Manaparai, Mandi Dabwali, Mangalagiri, Mannargudi, Matunga, M.C.S. Chhatarpur, Mithapur, Morappur, Morbi, Muktsar, Munirabad, Muri Jn., Murtizapur Jn., Nainpur Jn., Nandura, Narmadapuram, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Itwari Junction, Nidadavolu Jn., Nilambur Road, Okha, Orchha, Palitana, Panagarh, Panki Dham, Parel, Parlakhemundi, Pirpainti, Piska,Pokhrayan, Pollachi Jn.. Polur, Porbandar, Rajgarh, Rajmahal, Rajula Jn..Ramagundam, Ramghat Halt, Rayanpadu, Saharanpur Jn., Sahibzada Ajit Singh Mohali, Sahebgunj, Samakhlyali, Samalpatti, Sanchi, Sankarpur, Savda, Seoni, Shahad. Shajapur, Sholavandan, ShoranurJn..Shridham, Siddharth Nagar, Sihor Jn., Siuri, Sri Bala Brahmeswara Jogulamba, Srirangam, Srivilliputtur, St. Thomas Mount, Sullurpeta, Suraimanpur, Swaminarayan Chappia, Talcher, Tamluk, Thawe. Thiruvarur Jn., Tiruvannamalai, Tripunithura, Tuni, Ujhani, Urkura, Utran, Vadakara, Vadala Road, Vidisha, Vriddhachalam Jn., Wadakancheri, Warangal. The activities for development at other stations have also been taken up at good pace and progress of some of the above stations is as given below:  Tirupati station: The structural framework of new second entry station building on South side, 2 nos. air concourses and sewage treatment plant have been completed. The finishing works of new second entry station building on South side and air concourses, structural work of station building on North side, platform shelter, lift, escalator etc. have been taken up.  Nellore station: The structural framework, brickwork and plastering of station building on both East and West sides have been completed. The finishing works of station building on both East and West side and air concourse, extension work of subway, parking, water tanks and sewage treatment plant have been taken up.  Bangalore Cantonment station: The works of diversion road on South side, training centre, hostel on North side, electric substation building have been completed. The works of South side Page 4 of 6 §station building, North side station building. circulating area and Foot Over Bridge have been taken up.  Kota Junction station: The structural works of front departure hall, front arrival hall and rear side station building have been completed. The finishing works of front departure hall, rear side station building, air concourse, through roof, circulating area have been taken up.  Bhubaneswar station: The structural work of new station building at East & West Side and air concourse have been completed. The structural work of elevated driveway at East and West side station extension of Foot Over Bridge and platform shelter have been taken up. The finishing works of new station building at East and West side, works of MEP (Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing), HVAC(Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) and escalators have been taken up. Further, development/redevelopment/upgradation/modernisation of stations on Indian Railways is a continuous and ongoing process and works in this regard are undertaken as per requirement, subject to inter-se priority and availability of funds. Development/redevelopment/upgradation/modernisation of a station is carried out based on category of station/condition/traffic handled etc. Development/ upgradation / modernization of stations including Amrit Bharat Station Scheme is generally funded under Plan Head-53 'Customer Amenities". The details of allocation and expenditure under Plan Head-53 are maintained Zonal Railway-wise and not work-wise or station-wise or state- wise. The fund allocation of 12,120 crore (Revised Estimate) has been made for the financial year 2025-26 under Plan Head-53 and expenditure of ₹11,892 crore (up to February, 2026) has been incurred so far. Indian Railways is committed to make its railway stations accessible for Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjans) and passengers with reduced mobility as part of "Sugamya Bharat Mission" or 'Accessible India Campaign' of Government of India. In compliance of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, "Guidelines on accessibility of Indian Railway stations and facilities at stations for differently abled persons (Divyangjans) and passengers with reduced mobility have been circulated and notified in the Gazette of India. The guidelines include provisions of facilities for Divyangjans and passengers with reduced mobility such as entrance ramps, accessible parking, low height ticket counters/help booths, toilets, drinking water booths, subways/foot over bridges with ramps/lifts, standard signages including Braille signages and tactile pathways for visual impairment, etc. which Page 5 of 6 §have been taken up for implementation in a phased manner and on the principles of reasonable accommodation. Further, the following steps are being taken by the Railways in coordination with GRP/Local Police for safety and security of passengers at stations:- i. Surveillance is kept through CCTV cameras provided in number of coaches and railway stations for enhanced security of passengers. ii. Provision of Communication equipments like Walkie-Talkies, Public Address system at stations. iii. Digital Display boards and signage systems are utilized to provide clear directions, alerts, and safety instructions to passengers. iv. Frequent announcements are made over the Public Address System to educate passengers on precautionary measures for their safety and security. v. Railway Help Line number 139 (integrated with Emergency Response Support System No. 112) is operational (24x7) over Indian Railways for security related assistance to passengers in distress. vi. Government Railway Police (GRP) & Railway Protection Force (RPF) staff are deployed at sensitive locations to regulate crowd smoothly during the heavy rush period and render real time assistance to passengers. vii. GRP & RPF staff are deployed at foot-over bridges to regulate crowd smoothly in order to avoid stampede like situation during the heavy rush period and render real time assistance to passengers. viii. Intelligence units (Crime Intelligence Branch (CIB)/Special Intelligence Branch (SIB)) and plain cloth staff is deployed for collection of information about rush and accordingly arrangements were made associating GRP/Police. ix. Mock drills and safety exercises are conducted periodically to ensure preparedness of staff and effective implementation of emergency response protocols. x. Railways are in regular touch with passengers through various social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, etc. to enhance security of passengers and to address their security concerns. xi. To facilitate safe and convenient movement of persons with disabilities and senior citizens, necessary amenities and ramps are provided at stations. xii. State Level Security Committee of Railways (SLSCR) have been constituted for all State/Union Territories under the Chairmanship of respective Director General of Police/Commissioner of States/Union Territories for regular monitoring and review of security arrangements of the Railways. ***** Page 6 of 6 §