Minister approves plan following success at New Delhi Station
Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Oct 30: In a move aimed at improving passenger management and ensuring
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smooth crowd handling during peak travel seasons, Union Minister for Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw has approved the development of `passenger holding areas’ at Jammu Tawi and Katra among several major Railway Stations across the country.
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The decision follows the remarkable success of the passenger holding area at New Delhi Railway Station, which proved instrumental in efficiently managing the massive festive rush during Diwali and Chhath this year.
Encouraged by this model, the Railway Minister has directed the construction of similar holding areas at 76 key stations with heavy passenger footfall.
Jammu Tawi and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra—two of the most prominent stations in the Jammu region catering to lakhs of pilgrims and tourists annually—are among those selected for this facility.
Survey for the approved passenger holding areas at Jammu and Katra Railway Station has just begun and the facility will be developed well before the 2026 festival season.
According to Uchit Singhal, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Jammu, these holding areas will serve as pre-boarding zones where passengers can wait comfortably before trains are announced for boarding, helping decongest platforms and improve overall safety and travel experience.
“These passenger holding areas will be temporary-cum permanent structures designed on a modular pattern, allowing for flexibility in layout and expansion as per local requirements,” he told the Excelsior.
Singhal further informed that Rail India Technical and Economic Service (RITES) is conducting survey of Katra and Jammu Tawi Railway Stations taking into account footfall, peak season days, ongoing re-development work, required area, location and other factors for the purpose.
On the basis of survey report, he added, the passenger holding areas will be developed and work in this regard will be completed within the stipulated time.
The Railway Minister has set a clear deadline, directing that all passenger holding areas be completed well before the 2026 festival season. This timeline is intended to ensure that the new facilities are fully functional ahead of major travel periods such as Diwali, Navratra, and Amarnath Yatra, when stations like Jammu and Katra witness a sharp surge in passenger numbers.
Once operational, the holding areas would greatly ease crowd management and enhance commuter convenience—particularly at pilgrimage hubs like Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra, where footfall remains consistently high throughout the year.
Varanasi, Ayodhya Dham, Haridwar, Ujjain, Tirupati, Gaya, are among the other Railway Stations for which the Railway Minister has approved development of passenger holding areas.
The New Delhi holding area, completed within just four months, allowed authorities to regulate passenger flow and maintain order even during the busiest travel days.
The initiative marks another step in Indian Railways’ ongoing efforts to modernize passenger amenities and ensure safer, more efficient travel experiences across the network, said Uchit Singhal.
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