The Ministry of Railways has launched a nationwide plan to establish dedicated passenger holding areas at 76 major stations to decongest platforms and manage peak passenger flows. The initiative by Indian Railways (IR) is intended to provide organised spaces equipped with seating, ticketing facilities and essential services. The zones will aim to streamline passenger movement and reduce platform overcrowding.

A model holding area at New Delhi Railway Station has been commissioned and is reported to have eased congestion by adding ticket counters, Automatic Ticket Vending Machines (ATVMs) and Public Address Systems (PAS) alongside electronic train information boards. Safety and screening measures in the facility include closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance, luggage scanners and door frame metal detectors (DFMDs), together with uninterrupted power supply, improved lighting and high volume low speed (HVLS) fans. Amenities also incorporate reverse osmosis (RO) drinking water and separate toilets for men, women and Divyangjans.

Under a revised access control protocol passengers holding confirmed reserved tickets will be allowed direct entry to platforms while those without a valid ticket or holding waiting list tickets will be accommodated in the designated outside holding areas until travel status is verified or space permits. Operational coordination will be strengthened through war rooms at major stations where officers from all departments will work together and through the rollout of the latest digital communications and announcement systems. All staff will receive quick response (QR) based identity cards and uniforms to aid secure access and rapid identification in emergencies.

Further infrastructure upgrades include the introduction of wider foot-over-bridges (FOBs) with two new standard designs of 12 metre and six metre widths to be installed across stations to facilitate smoother movement. Safety monitoring will be augmented by deployment of artificial intelligence enabled CCTV cameras for real-time crowd surveillance and management. The ministry noted that timelines for planning and execution will be subject to iterative optimisation and that the measures were disclosed by the Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha.