Anand Vihar: New Crowd Management for Diwali & Chhath
Northern Railway implements facial recognition and separate gates at Anand Vihar Terminal to manage festive crowds for Diwali and Chhath.
To ensure a smooth travel experience during the upcoming festive season, Northern Railway has launched a comprehensive Anand Vihar crowd management system. This proactive measure is designed to mitigate severe overcrowding at Anand Vihar Terminal ahead of the massive influx of passengers for the Diwali and Chhath festivals.
High-Tech Monitoring and Enhanced Security
Drawing from the successful crowd control protocols implemented at New Delhi Railway Station last year, authorities are introducing several advanced strategies. To streamline the flow of passengers, the station will now feature separate entry gates specifically designated for general ticket holders and those with reserved tickets.
In a significant move toward modernization, the station will utilize facial recognition technology for real-time crowd monitoring. This allows officials to track density and manage movement more effectively. Furthermore, security presence has been significantly bolstered through the deployment of additional male and female Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel, who will operate in close coordination with the Government Railway Police (GRP) and state police.
Infrastructure Upgrades and Special Train Surge
The Ministry of Railways has issued directives to implement several localized improvements to support the festive rush. These include:
- The construction of new Foot Over Bridges (FOBs) to improve passenger movement.
- The installation of extensive CCTV networks for enhanced surveillance.
- The creation of permanent outdoor waiting areas.
- The establishment of dedicated emergency 'war rooms' for rapid response.
To meet the heightened demand, Northern Railway is running over 6,200 special train trips, which represents a 30% increase compared to the previous year. This surge includes 42 newly regularized trains performing approximately 2,600 trips, augmenting the existing 3,600 scheduled special runs.
Station Redevelopment Nearing Completion
The operational shift coincides with the near-completion of the massive redevelopment work at Anand Vihar. Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay, Chief Public Relations Officer of Northern Railway, noted that the station is being transformed with modern facilities to better serve travelers.
The upgraded station features:
- New platforms and underpasses for easier access.
- A modern passenger amenity center.
- A newly constructed passenger holding area specifically designed to accommodate travelers during festival periods.