Festive rush being monitored at three levels for crowd handling: Ashwini Vaishnaw

New Delhi: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday said that railway zonal, divisional and railway board level monitoring is being done to ensure efficient and seamless crowd handling at railway stations during the ongoing festival season.

"Railway zones and divisions are keeping a real-time watch on passenger arrivals at stations with the help of CCTV cameras. The war room at the Railway Board serves as a third level of monitoring," he said while interacting with media persons in the War Room at the Rail Bhawan here.

Noting that a large monitor installed in the war room, Vaishnaw stated that all major stations can be monitored from the Rail Bhawan, and the running of special and other trains can also be reviewed in real time.

He said prominent stations where heavy rush is expected are under constant observation, and whenever passenger gatherings increase, officials concerned take immediate action with additional crowd control measures.

He stated that the permanent holding area at the New Delhi Railway Station has proved useful in handling rush and managing crowds during festivals.

"Seventy-six stations have been identified in 16 railway zones where permanent holding areas are either being constructed or will be constructed in the coming time," Vaishnaw said.

Some of these stations are Gaya, Darbhanga, Kanpur, Guwahati, Jaipur, Bhopal, and Mysuru.

On reports of late running of special trains, Vaishnaw said only one train reached its destination six hours late in the past 24 hours, and senior officials of the Railway Board are continuously monitoring the status of the running of all special trains.