Date: 2026-03-28Category: Press ReleaseState: Union GovernmentCountry: India
To Make Train Journey Comfortable & Safe During Rush Hours, Besides Holding Areas, 76 Stations Across India are Being Equipped with All Latest Amenities
**Executive Summary**
The Ministry of Railways is implementing a comprehensive safety and comfort initiative across 76 Indian railway stations to manage heavy passenger rush. Announced on March 28, 2026, the plan involves infrastructure upgrades, such as permanent holding areas and wider foot-over-bridges, alongside administrative changes. Key actions include empowering Station Directors to regulate ticket sales based on station capacity and deploying AI-enabled monitoring systems.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Infrastructure and Crowd Management**
* **Permanent Holding Areas:** 76 stations are being equipped with dedicated holding areas to decongest platforms. These spaces include seating, RO drinking water, toilets, and information displays.
* **Access Control:** A system of "complete access control" is being implemented where passengers with confirmed reserved tickets get direct platform entry, while those without tickets or on waiting lists are diverted to holding areas.
* **Wider Foot-Over-Bridges (FOB):** All stations will be equipped with two new standard FOB designs: 12 meters (40 feet) and 6 meters (20 feet) wide.
**Technology and Security**
* **AI-Enabled Monitoring:** Large-scale installation of AI-enabled CCTV cameras to facilitate close monitoring and crowd management.
* **Digital Communication:** High-crowd stations will receive next-generation digital equipment, including walkie-talkies and advanced announcement systems.
* **Secure Access:** All staff and service personnel will be issued new QR-based ID cards to ensure secure and controlled station access.
**Administrative and Operational Reforms**
* **War Rooms:** Dedicated coordination centers are being established at major stations where officers from all departments work together to manage crowd situations.
* **Station Director Empowerment:** The post of Station Director is being upgraded at major stations. These officers are vested with financial powers and unified command over all station departments.
* **Ticket Sale Regulation:** Station Directors are now authorized to control and limit the sale of tickets based on the physical capacity of the station and train availability.
* **Staff Identification:** All staff members will be provided with new design uniforms to ensure they are easily identifiable during crises.
**Impact Analysis**
**Passengers**
**Impact**
Confirmed ticket holders receive streamlined, direct access to platforms. Passengers without confirmed tickets or those on waiting lists gain access to organized holding areas with essential amenities like water and seating rather than waiting on crowded platforms.
**Action Required**
Passengers must adhere to new access control protocols and occupy designated holding areas based on their ticket status.
**Station Directors**
**Impact**
They gain increased authority, including financial powers and the ability to command all station departments. They are now responsible for the real-time regulation of ticket sales to prevent overcrowding.
**Action Required**
Directors must exercise financial powers for station improvements, oversee inter-departmental coordination, and monitor station capacity to make decisions on ticket sale limits.
**Railway Staff and Service Personnel**
**Impact**
Staff are subject to stricter security protocols and improved identification measures. Communication during peak hours is enhanced through new digital tools.
**Action Required**
Staff must transition to using QR-based ID cards for station access, adopt the new uniform designs, and report directly to the Station Director under the unified command structure.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Railways: The central government body responsible for initiating and executing the plan to equip 76 stations across India with passenger amenities and crowd management systems.
Station Director: A senior officer post at major stations upgraded with financial powers and authority over ticket sales to ensure unified command and efficient station management.
Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw: The Union Minister for Railways who officially provided the information regarding these station improvements and management protocols.
New Delhi Railway Station: The primary location cited where a permanent passenger holding area and advanced facilities have already been commissioned as part of the initiative.
Ministry of Railways
To Make Train Journey Comfortable & Safe
During Rush Hours, Besides Holding Areas, 76
Stations Across India are Being Equipped with
All Latest Amenities
Access Control, Wider Foot-Over-Bridges, and AI-Enabled
CCTV Systems to Streamline Passenger Flow
War Rooms, New Generation Communication Equipments
and QR-Based ID Systems to Strengthen On-Ground
Coordination
New Delhi Railway Station with Facilities like Additional
Ticket Counters, Automatic Ticket Vending Machines, RO
Drinking Water, and Separate Toilets for Men, Women, and
Divyangjan is Already Serving Travellers
All Departments & Agencies to Work Under One Station
Director, Empowered to Control the Sale of Tickets as per Its
Capacity & Trains will Help in efficient management
Posted On: 28 MAR 2026 4:43PM by PIB Delhi
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:
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.
Similar provisions at other stations are under various stages of planning and execution, with timelines
subject to iterative optimization.
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.
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.
This information was provided by the Union Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting and
Electronics & Information Technology, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, in a reply to a question in Rajya Sabha on
Friday.
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Dharmendra Tewari/ Dr. Nayan Solanki/ Ritu Raj
(Release ID: 2246448) Visitor Counter : 328
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