Ahmedabad, Nov 4 (SocialNews.XYZ) More than 70 trips of special trains are being operated by Western Railway to accommodate the festive rush during Diwali and Chhath Puja, with additional security personnel, holding areas and round-the-clock CCTV surveillance arranged at Ahmedabad, Sabarmati and Asarva stations to manage passenger movement.
The special train services, primarily connecting destinations in northern and eastern India, are aimed at facilitating passengers travelling to Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh.
Additional coaches have also been attached to several regular trains to increase passenger capacity.
Divisional Railway Manager Ved Prakash said the arrangements had been made keeping in mind the expected increase in passenger numbers during the festive period.
"The railway administration had also accounted for passengers travelling on around 20 to 25 through-passing trains arriving from Rajkot and Bhuj and passing through Ahmedabad and Sabarmati stations," he said.
The special trains operating in November include services between Sabarmati and Lalkuan, Asarva and Kanpur Central, Asarva and Agra Cantt, Bhuj and Bandra Terminus, Ahmedabad and Mangaluru Junction, Sabarmati and Haridwar, Ahmedabad and Darbhanga, Gandhidham and Bhagalpur, Sabarmati and Prayagraj, Ahmedabad and Mumbai Central, Ahmedabad and Malda Town, Asarva and Prayagraj, and Ahmedabad and Rajgir.
The railway administration, Railway Protection Force (RPF), Government Railway Police (GRP) and traffic police have jointly drawn up a plan to regulate passenger movement and prevent overcrowding at the three stations.
Separate arrangements have been made for unreserved passengers and those holding reserved tickets.
The movement of reserved passengers, from entering the station and reaching the platform to waiting and boarding their trains, has been eased to avoid congestion.
A total of 110 additional RPF personnel have been deployed at the three stations, including 55 at Ahmedabad, 40 at Sabarmati and 15 at Asarva. .An additional company of the Railway Protection Special Force (RPSF) has also been deployed at Ahmedabad station.
The railway administration has assigned officers and staff to round-the-clock duties at all three stations.
Holding areas have been arranged to accommodate passengers in an orderly manner before they are taken to platforms in queues at the scheduled time for boarding.
Women, persons with disabilities, senior citizens and passengers travelling with children are being given priority. Ahmedabad station has 119 CCTV cameras, while Sabarmati station has 121.
A proposal has also been submitted to install 60 additional cameras to strengthen surveillance. Staff have been deployed in the CCTV control rooms round the clock to monitor station premises and passenger movement.
RPF personnel in plain clothes have also been deployed to prevent crimes against passengers. At Sabarmati station, queue management arrangements cover the entire process, from ticket counters and holding areas to platforms and train boarding.
Passengers are directed to the holding area after purchasing tickets and subsequently taken to the platform in an orderly manner at the designated time.
Announcements through public address systems and loudhailers are being used to advise passengers against pushing or jostling, travelling while standing on train footboards and accepting food or beverages from strangers.
They are also being alerted about the safety of women and children during the journey.
Source: IANS
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