Passenger safety paramount, says railway minister after inspecting holding area at New Delhi station

New Delhi, Oct 11 (PTI) Since Indian Railways is the primary mode of transportation for the low and middle-income groups, efforts are being made to increase the facilities for them while ensuring safety of all passengers, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Saturday after inspecting a newly-constructed permanent holding area for passengers at the New Delhi railway station.

Named Yatri Suvidha Kendra, the permanent holding area is designed to accommodate approximately 7,000 passengers at any given time, enhancing pre-boarding comfort and flow.

Vaishnaw emphasised that safety and amenities are paramount for the Indian Railways, which is why many such initiatives are being implemented.

The railway ministry had ordered the construction of permanent holding areas at five railway stations across the country after 18 passengers were killed in a stampede at the New Delhi railway station on February 15, 2025.

In addition to the New Delhi railway station, the other four stations are Anand Vihar, Ghaziabad, Varanasi and Ayodhya.

The ministry had said that after these five stations, 55 more will be taken up for the creation of permanent holding areas.

"The newly-developed, state-of-the-art Yatri Suvidha Kendra will provide comfort to passengers during the festival season when passenger volume surges. Like New Delhi, Yatri Suvidha Kendras will be developed at other stations in the country," Vaishnaw said.

According to a press statement issued by the railway ministry, the Yatri Suvidha Kendra in New Delhi has been strategically divided into three zones to streamline passenger movement -- a ticketing area spanning 2,860 sq mt, a post-ticketing area of 1,150 sq mt, and a pre-ticketing area covering 1,218 sq mt.

The spatial separation is designed to reduce congestion and improve passenger comfort across the terminal's main entrance, the statement said.

Its key features include 22 modern ticketing counters and 25 automatic ticket vending machines (ATVMs); seating capacity for 200 passengers and 18 high-volume low speed (HVLS) fans for efficient cooling; and a dedicated toilet block built over 652 sq mt, along with an RO-based drinking water system.

"Our efforts are focused on increasing facilities in general class coaches and introducing more and more Amrit Bharat trains," Vaishnaw said.

Talking about special trains being operated during this festive season, the minister said arrangements have been made to run a record number of trains during the Diwali and Chhath festivals.

"This has been made possible because the Indian Railways has immensely enhanced its capacity. In every second or third Cabinet meeting, the prime minister approves the laying of new rail lines," Vaishnaw said, adding that 34,000 km of rail lines have been laid during the Modi government's tenure.

According to the railway minister, out of over 12,000 trains the ministry plans to run during this festive season, 10,700 have been already notified.

"Additionally, 150 trains, capable of making 2,000 trips during the festive season, have been kept for unreserved operation. So, more than 12,000 trains will run this festive season from various parts of the country to ensure hassle-free travel," Vaishnaw said.

"A lot of recruitment is happening in the railways. At present, 1,30,000 candidates are in the process of joining various railway zones. Recently, 18,000 assistant loco pilots were recruited," he added. PTI JP ARI