Railway platform ticket sales suspended at six stations across Delhi and Ghaziabad; check the full list

With thousands of passengers expected to travel to Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha for Diwali, Bhai Dooj and Chhath, Northern Railway has stepped up crowd-management measures at key stations across Delhi-NCR.

As part of the arrangements, Northern Railway has suspended the sale of platform tickets at six major railway stations till November 14 to prevent overcrowding. Only passengers holding confirmed train tickets will be allowed access to platforms during this period



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Which six railway stations are affected?

Platform tickets will not be available through ticket counters, mobile applications or automatic ticket vending machines (ATVMs).

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Full list of stations:

• New Delhi
• Old Delhi
• Hazrat Nizamuddin
• Anand Vihar Terminal
• Anand Vihar Halt
• Ghaziabad railway station

Who is exempt from the platform ticket restriction?

Railway officials said relatives and acquaintances often accompany passengers to stations to help them board trains, adding to congestion during the festive rush.

However, elderly people, women and persons with disabilities will continue to receive assistance. According to Northern Railway chief public relations officer Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay, those accompanying them for assistance will be exempt from the restriction.

What other crowd-management measures are in place?

At New Delhi railway station, a permanent passenger holding area has been created outside Platform 16 on the Ajmeri Gate side. Equipped with baggage scanners and supported by Railway Protection Force personnel, the facility is intended to regulate passenger movement before entry to platforms.

The holding area is in addition to the 6,000-square-metre Yatri Suvidha Kendra inaugurated in October last year.

Are additional special trains being operated?

Railway authorities are operating festival special trains and plan to increase their number this week to accommodate the festive travel rush.

Special 18,000 trains for festive season

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday said around 18,000 special trains are being operated during the festive season this year, compared to approximately 12,000 trains last year, while highlighting the ongoing redevelopment of 1,300 railway stations across the country with a focus on future passenger requirements, local architectural styles and safety.

Speaking with the media, Vaishnaw said the special train services and passenger facilities at major stations had been expanded to manage the heavy rush during the festive period, which includes Durga Puja, Diwali and Chhath.

"Extensive arrangements have been made for the festive season. During last year’s festive period, encompassing the major festivals of Durga Puja, Diwali, and Chhath, approximately 12,000 special trains were operated. This year, by combining those from last year with the newly added special trains, we are running around 18,000 special trains. At highly congested stations, such as Udhna in Surat, New Delhi, and the Anand Vihar Terminal, large holding areas have been established. For instance, at the New Delhi and Udhna stations, each of these holding areas can accommodate around 20,000 people at any given time. Numerous high-quality toilets have been constructed, and excellent air circulation systems have been installed. Ticketing counters have been relocated into these holding areas, ensuring that passengers can access ticketing services easily without having to navigate through heavy crowds," he told the reporters.

He added that the holding areas had been equipped with toilets and air circulation systems, while ticket counters had been shifted there to enable passengers to access ticketing facilities without having to move through heavy crowds.

"There is still much work to be done; we strive for continuous improvement every year, aiming to provide better service than the previous year, though the demand remains extremely high. Nevertheless, we have reached a certain standard, and we intend to improve even further in the coming years." Vaishnaw said.