Tatanagar station will open a temporary passenger holding area from October 13 to manage the Durga Puja travel rush, with ticket checks, controlled platform access, passenger amenities and additional festive special trains. The arrangement is being implemented by the Chakradharpur railway division to reduce congestion at the station’s main entrance and regulate movement towards platforms.
The holding area is being developed in the portico and parking lot near the main entrance. Passengers waiting to board trains will be seated there after entering the station and will be sent towards the platforms in orderly queues after their tickets are checked. Railway officials said the system is intended to prevent overcrowding and ensure smoother movement between the entrance and platforms during the festive period.
The facility will include chairs, ceiling fans, drinking water and urinal facilities, according to railway officials. Passengers with valid tickets will be permitted to enter the platforms 30 minutes before the scheduled arrival of their trains. The arrangement will cover passengers travelling in both reserved and unreserved coaches, with railway commercial staff coordinating access and boarding.
The Railway Protection Force, Government Railway Police and railway commercial personnel will jointly manage the passenger flow. Chakradharpur divisional railway manager Tarun Huria has directed Tatanagar officials to make regular announcements about train arrivals and departures. Additional loudspeakers will be installed so that passengers waiting in the holding area can hear operational updates.
The temporary arrangement comes as railway stations face increased passenger movement during Durga Puja, when demand for long-distance travel rises and waiting areas can become congested. At Tatanagar, directing passengers through a controlled holding space is expected to separate ticket verification and platform access from the main entrance, while allowing railway staff to organise boarding before trains arrive.
South Eastern Railway has also announced three long-distance special train services through Tatanagar for the festive season. The Tatanagar-Buxar-Tatanagar special will operate every Tuesday from October 13 to November 24.
The Itwari-Shalimar Puja Special will run every Thursday from October 15 to October 29, while the Shalimar-Itwari return service will operate every Friday from October 16 to October 30. The service will halt at Jharsuguda, Rourkela, Chakradharpur, Tatanagar, Kharagpur and Santragachi.
The Sambalpur-Santragachi Puja Special will depart from Sambalpur on October 14 and 21. Return services from Santragachi are scheduled for October 15 and 22. The temporary holding area at Tatanagar is expected to become operational on October 13, when the first of the announced festive travel arrangements begins.
