Mumbai: In response to the ongoing festive season rush, Western Railway (WR) has intensified its crowd management efforts at major railway stations, following a stampede at Bandra Terminus on Sunday that left ten people injured. The stampede occurred as passengers scrambled to board the unreserved Bandra-Gorakhpur Antyodaya express.
"Western Railway has taken several precautionary measures and various elaborate arrangements have been made for proper implementation of crowd management at these stations. A passenger holding area admeasuring 370 sq meters with a holding capacity of around 600 passengers has been erected at Bandra Terminus station in the East circulating area for effective crowd management. This is equipped with adequate lighting and fans for comfortable wait for the passengers. Three (3) water fountains have been provided alongwith toilet facilities. Public announcement system is available inside the holding area which will keep waiting passengers updated about train movements. This area will minimize the number of waiting passengers at the platform and allow for smooth entry of passengers to the trains ensuring safe and smooth journey for the passengers. Such Holding Areas is also available at Udhna and Surat stations. Also, a new Waiting Area has been created near PF No. 04 at Surat Station. 50 License Sahayak in two shifts are being deployed from Surat to Udhna. Information banners/Standees displaying special train has been displayed at prominent places. Checking staff has been deployed round the clock at all the entry/exit points at Udhna. Additional ticket counters in multiple shifts and ATVM machines are being operated to cater to the extra crowd during Diwali/Chhath Puja at Bandra Terminus, Surat and Udhna stations. Extra shifts at ticket counters are being operated at Vapi and Valsad stations" said an official of WR.
Official further informed that RPF and GRP personnel have been deployed round the clock, to regulate the crowd at the entry/exit points and at platforms. Additionally, RPF/GRP staff have been stationed at the gates of every coach to guide passengers. For better management, a holding area has been set up at Surat and Udhna station premises for passengers to wait comfortably in case they come early.
These areas are equipped with basic amenities such as drinking water, sanitation facilities, etc. The access area to station is regulated so that early entry to platform can be restricted. Medical Teams have also been deployed at the stations in case of emergencies. Announcements at platforms are being made to manage the passengers in the queue.
"The extra RPF and GRP personnel have been deployed for trains heading toward northern states of the country, especially in General and Sleeper coaches, to manage the crowd and facilitated them for a comfortable journey. This step aims to create a safe and convenient environment for all travellers. In addition, plainclothes CPDS (Crime Prevention and Detection Squad) teams from the RPF and GRP are actively patrolling the stations to keep a watch on any suspicious activity and prevent theft. To keep a close eye on the crowd, round-the-clock CCTV monitoring has been activated across the stations. Dedicated staff have been assigned to constantly monitor the station premises, and field units will be alerted if crowd density increases in any specific areas" said officials
According to WR, all efforts are taken to provide wide publicity of special trains & to ensure proper dissemination of the information to the public. Regular Tweets, Social Media posts, Newspaper publicity are being done to keep passengers informed about additional train services. Moreover, Ticket Checking staff, RPF & GRP staff are guiding passengers through the Public Announcement System.
According to Vineet Abhishek – Chief Public Relations Officer of Western Railway, for the convenience of passengers and with a view to meet the travel demand, this year Western Railway is running 200 Special trains during the festive season of Diwali/Chhath Pooja.
Out of these, around 40 trains are being run by Mumbai Division of WR to various destinations including 22 trains to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal & Orissa. The running of extra special trains is being monitored at divisional & headquarter levels which are also planned accordingly by senior officers.
Likewise, the waiting list of trains are monitored daily on real-time basis. These special trains are in addition to the regular trains run to these destinations from WR. Additional coaches are also being augmented in regular trains as per availability and demand.
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