Indian Railways has dedicated more than Rs 34,000 crore in the past three years towards passenger amenities, with a focus on crowd management at stations to ensure seamless travel, as per information shared in Parliament. The allocation for enhancing passenger amenities includes Rs 9,392 crore in 2023-24, Rs 12,884 crore in 2024-25, and Rs 12,018 crore in 2025-26, according to Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
Development work is underway at 23 permanent holding areas in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh, out of a total of 76 crowded stations nationwide. Notably, progress is being made at major stations like Mumbai’s CST and Bandra Terminus, Bhopal, Lucknow, and Varanasi to prepare for the upcoming festive season. The implementation of AI-enabled CCTV cameras, advanced digital communication systems, and other measures is aimed at enhancing crowd management efficiency.
Efforts are being made by the Ministry of Railways to establish passenger holding areas at 76 stations to ease platform congestion during peak hours. These areas are designed to offer comfort and essential amenities such as seating, drinking water, toilets, ticketing facilities, information displays, and security checks. The New Delhi Railway Station has already commissioned a holding area, featuring various facilities like additional ticket counters, electronic boards, CCTV surveillance, and improved lighting, among others.
To streamline passenger movement, complete access control measures are being implemented, allowing direct entry to platforms for passengers with confirmed reserved tickets. Those without tickets or holding waiting list tickets will be directed to designated waiting areas outside the stations. Additionally, new designs of 12-meter and 6-meter wide standard foot over-bridges are being developed for installation across all stations.
