Indian Railways has introduced a series of major initiatives to manage station crowds and enhance passenger comfort. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw provided these details in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha on March 28, 2026. The government has allocated more than 34,000 crore rupees for passenger amenities and crowd management between 2023 and 2026 to ensure a smoother travel experience.
What are the new rules for passengers and station entry?
From April 1, 2026, passengers with confirmed or RAC tickets will have the flexibility to change their boarding station up to 30 minutes before the train departs. This facility will be available through the PRS and IRCTC portals. To ensure better crowd control, platform access will be strictly limited to passengers with confirmed tickets. Passengers without valid tickets or those on the waiting list will be directed to specific holding areas located outside the station building.
- Boarding station change allowed until 30 minutes before departure
- Platform entry restricted to confirmed ticket holders
- Waitlisted passengers to stay in designated holding areas
- Staff berth rules changed to provide more seats for general public
How is the infrastructure being upgraded to handle crowds?
The Railways plan to set up permanent passenger holding areas at 76 identified stations. These zones will provide essential facilities like seating, drinking water, toilets, and real-time information systems. A pilot project at New Delhi Railway Station has already shown a significant reduction in platform congestion. Additionally, new standard designs for Foot-Over-Bridges with widths of 12 meters and 6 meters will be implemented at various stations to improve mobility.
Safety and monitoring will be enhanced using AI-enabled CCTV cameras and dedicated war rooms for emergency coordination. To improve staff identification, all employees will receive new uniforms and QR-based ID cards. The financial powers of Station Directors at major stations are also being increased to help them make quick decisions regarding ticket sales and station capacity based on real-time crowd levels. The budget breakdown for these improvements is as follows:
| Financial Year | Budget Allocated (In Crores) |
|---|---|
| 2023-24 | 9,392 |
| 2024-25 | 12,884 |
| 2025-26 | 12,018 |