New Delhi: Travelling without a reservation ticket can be a challenging experience, especially for those heading to their native places. For many passengers, the journey becomes stressful when they are forced to travel without a seat or stand throughout the trip. To address this issue, the Indian Railways has announced a new plan aimed at reducing the difficulties faced by general ticket travelers, especially during peak travel seasons.
Overcrowding and Risk of Stampedes
Recently, during the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj on 15th February, a tragic stampede occurred, resulting in the deaths of 18 passengers. This incident highlighted the serious risks posed by overcrowding on railway platforms, especially when unreserved coaches are filled to capacity. According to the Rail Ministry, although there is a limited number of reservation ticket holders, the number of travelers without reservation is significantly higher, contributing to overcrowding and an increased likelihood of stampedes. To prevent such occurrences, the Indian Railways is planning to implement special measures at stations where the risk of overcrowding is high, such as New Delhi, Mumbai, Surat, and Pune.
Railway’s Plan to Manage Crowds
The railway’s plan aims to manage and control crowd movement at these stations during peak times, ensuring safety and comfort for all passengers.
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Plan 1: Special Trains for Delayed Routes
In cases where multiple trains are scheduled on a particular route, and one of them experiences a delay, overcrowding is often inevitable. To address this, the Indian Railways will introduce special trains to accommodate the waiting passengers. These special trains will run to major destinations such as Patna or Hajipur, and will provide passengers heading to cities like Kanpur, Allahabad, and Varanasi with alternative travel options. This strategy will help in reducing the rush on platforms, as passengers will be evenly distributed across different trains.
Plan 2: Adjusting Ticket Sales for General Coaches
Another solution the Indian Railways is working on involves adjusting ticket sales for general coaches. The railways plan to sell one and a half times the capacity of tickets for general coaches. This approach will allow for a more controlled distribution of passengers, reducing the number of people arriving at the platform at once, and consequently minimizing overcrowding.
Plan 3: Issuing Tickets with Train Names
In a third initiative, the railway will consider issuing tickets that include the specific train name and departure time. This will help in controlling when passengers enter the platform, preventing a sudden influx of people. By staggering the entry times for different trains, the railways aim to control crowd movement more effectively.
