Pune: Railway Station to Announce Platform Details an Hour in Advance, Railways to Introduce ‘Holding Areas’ at 60 Stations

In order to streamline passenger movement and reduce last-minute rush, Pune Railway Station has introduced a new system to announce platform numbers for arriving trains one hour in advance. This initiative, directed by Additional Divisional Railway Manager Padmasingh Jadhav following a detailed review, aims to assist passengers, particularly senior citizens, differently abled individuals, and pregnant women. Officials have also been advised to minimize last-minute platform changes, with railway officers and the Railway Protection Force (RPF) monitoring the station to ensure smooth operations.

Jadhav emphasized the importance of crowd management, urging passengers to arrive at the station no earlier than one hour before their train’s departure. “We need to manage the crowd at Pune Railway Station, and this decision will help us achieve that,” he said.

In a related development, Indian Railways has announced plans to establish ‘holding areas’ at 60 high-footfall stations across the country, including New Delhi, Patna, Varanasi, Bengaluru, and Coimbatore. This initiative comes in response to a tragic stampede at New Delhi Railway Station that claimed 18 lives. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that both temporary and permanent holding zones will be created outside platforms to regulate passenger entry based on train departure times, thereby preventing overcrowding.

Additionally, the Railways will develop a comprehensive crowd management manual and a standard operating procedure (SOP) to address passenger surges during festivals and special events. Minister Vaishnaw also stressed the importance of educating passengers to avoid obstructing movement by sitting on stairs or in high-traffic areas.

While awaiting the findings of the enquiry committee regarding the New Delhi stampede, the Railways plans to launch a special campaign across all Delhi stations, gathering input from stakeholders such as hawkers, porters, street vendors, auto and taxi unions, passengers, and law enforcement agencies to collaboratively address crowd management challenges.

These measures highlight Indian Railways’ commitment to enhancing passenger safety and improving operations at some of the nation’s busiest stations.