Samastipur Railway to Set Up Holding Areas at 15 Stations for Chhath
Samastipur Railway Division is setting up holding areas at 15 stations to manage the Chhath festival rush and ensure passenger safety.
The Samastipur Railway Division is taking major steps to manage the massive surge of passengers expected during the upcoming Chhath festival. To prevent platform overcrowding and ensure a smooth travel experience, the division is constructing dedicated holding areas at 15 different stations.
New Holding Areas to Manage Passenger Surge
To tackle the heavy footfall, these new holding areas are designed to accommodate more than 500 passengers at a time. Each facility will be approximately 100 feet in length, providing a structured environment for travelers to wait safely before their trains arrive.
While the infrastructure development is underway at 15 locations, immediate measures have been implemented at 13 major stations to handle the festive rush. These stations include:
- Samastipur
- Darbhanga
- Saharsa
- Madhubani
- Sakri
- Jaynagar
- Raxaul
- Sitamarhi
- Muzaffarpur
- Purnia Court
- Lalitgram
- Bapudham Motihari
- Bettiah
Comprehensive Facilities for Travelers
The division is ensuring that these holding areas are not just waiting spaces but are equipped with essential amenities to keep passengers comfortable. The facilities will include:
- Comfort: Tents and adequate seating arrangements.
- Essentials: Potable drinking water and proper sanitation facilities.
- Support: Medical booths, help desks, and train announcement systems to keep commuters informed.
Strict Crowd Control and Phased Boarding
Under this new management system, passengers will be required to remain within the designated holding areas until their respective trains arrive. To avoid sudden rushes and stampede-like situations on the platforms, travelers will be escorted to the boarding area in organized, phased groups once space becomes available.
The Railway Protection Force (RPF) will be actively overseeing crowd management to ensure safety. Additionally, heightened vigilance will be maintained from November 16 to November 25, with ambulances stationed at various sites to provide immediate medical assistance if required.
War Rooms and Strict Directives from DRM
To maintain real-time oversight of the entire operation, both the railway headquarters and divisional offices have activated specialized 'war rooms'. During a recent review meeting, Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Jyoti Prakash Mishra issued strict directives to ensure smooth operations during the peak period:
- No Last-Minute Platform Changes: To avoid confusion among the massive crowds, platform changes must not be made at the last minute.
- Platform Management: To prevent overcrowding on island platforms, two major trains must not be positioned on the same platform simultaneously.