Busy railway stations mull ways to keep out ticketless passengers

New Delhi: The Indian Railways is considering clamping down on the entry of ticketless passengers at 60 busy stations that see heavy footfalls. This is one of the options being examined in addition to creating holding areas at these stations where passengers can wait before being allowed inside.

"Entry at stations needs to be regulated and allowed only to those that possess valid tickets. This is an option being examined, particularly regarding some busy stations," a senior official told ET.

A similar approach is followed at airports where passenger tickets are checked multiple times well before boarding an aircraft.

Officials said permanent holding areas are being designed for New Delhi, Anand Vihar, Ghaziabad, Varanasi and Ayodhya stations, and unauthorised access points to these stations will be closed.

Holding areas will be integrated with the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme aimed at enhancing and modernising railway stations throughout the Indian Railways network. The scheme currently intends to upgrade and modernise a total of 1275 stations.

The move follows the death of 18 passengers in a stampede last week at the New Delhi railway station. Crowds swelled on Saturday evening during a rush to board trains bound for Prayagraj to attend the Maha Kumbh. An official statement said the Prayagraj Express was about to be placed at platform (PF) number 14 and an additional special train was announced for Prayagraj from PF No 12 in the light of the rush. Officials said passengers were trying to board one of the special trains for Prayagraj. These trains do not have reserved seats and can accommodate more passengers.

Travellers scurried to board another special train also bound for the same destination when the existing ones could not accommodate any more travellers.

"The other train was at an adjacent platform...some passengers slipped on the staircase leading to the stampede," an official said requesting anonymity as a two-member committee has been set up to probe the incident.