Hajipur/Patna : With the Pitru Paksha Mela and the upcoming festive season expected to bring a surge in passenger traffic, East Central Railway (ECR) has begun preparations to manage the additional rush and ensure passenger safety and convenience.
ECR General Manager Dimple Garg shared details of the preparations during her first press conference at the railway headquarters on Monday. She said special trains would be operated to accommodate the expected increase in passenger demand, particularly for travellers arriving from different parts of the country and those returning after the festivals.
Holding Areas to Provide Passenger Facilities
To manage crowds at major stations, railway authorities will establish holding areas equipped with passenger facilities.
These areas will provide amenities such as drinking water, train announcements and medical assistance, allowing passengers to wait in a more organised manner during periods of heavy congestion.
Railway officials said passenger safety and convenience would remain a key priority during the rush period.
24-Hour War Rooms for Crowd Monitoring
Special war rooms have also been established to monitor crowd movement and the overall law-and-order situation at stations.
The control arrangements will keep track of station conditions around the clock and enable railway authorities to respond to emerging crowd-management challenges.
Additional Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel are also being deployed at key locations to strengthen security and assist with crowd control.
Queue-Based Boarding for General Coaches
Special arrangements are being planned for passengers travelling in the general coaches of heavily crowded long-distance trains.
RPF and commercial department personnel will be deployed to facilitate queue-based boarding, with the aim of preventing overcrowding near coach entrances and making the boarding process more orderly.
The arrangement is expected to be particularly useful during peak travel periods when large numbers of passengers arrive at stations simultaneously.
New Ganga Rail Bridge at Mokama Nears Operational Stage
The ECR General Manager also provided an update on the new railway bridge over the Ganga at Mokama.
Once operational, the bridge is expected to provide an additional rail route between north and south Bihar and improve connectivity across the Ganga.
As part of preparations for commissioning the bridge, non-interlocking work began on Monday and is scheduled to continue until October 4.
New Rail Bridge Planned Between Vikramshila and Kateriya
A new railway bridge over the Ganga between Vikramshila and Kateriya near Bhagalpur is also part of the region’s planned rail infrastructure expansion.
The project was approved in August 2024 at an estimated cost of Rs 2,171.34 crore and is targeted for completion by August 2031.
The bridge is expected to strengthen rail connectivity in the Bhagalpur region and provide an additional crossing over the Ganga.
Third and Fourth Rail Lines on DDU-Jhajha Route
Work on the third and fourth railway lines between Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction and Jhajha is also progressing.
The project covers approximately 400 km and has been divided into smaller sections to facilitate construction and implementation.
The additional rail lines are intended to increase capacity on the busy route and support smoother train operations.
97 Stations Undergoing Redevelopment
ECR is also carrying out redevelopment work at 97 railway stations under the Indian Railways’ station redevelopment programme.
According to the railway, redevelopment work at Chandauli Majhwar, Dauram Madhepura, Banmankhi, Gomoh and Katrasgarh stations is nearly complete.
Work at Salauna, Supaul and Lakhisarai, among other stations, is targeted for completion by November.
The ongoing projects are aimed at improving station infrastructure and passenger facilities across the East Central Railway zone.
