Western Railway has suspended platform ticket sales at six stations from November 1 to 15 as passenger numbers rise during the Diwali and Chhath Puja travel period, while special holding areas and additional security have been arranged at Ahmedabad’s Kalupur and Sabarmati stations.
The restriction is in force at Bandra, Vapi, Valsad, Udhna, Surat and Mehsana stations. The measure is intended to limit non-essential visitors on platforms, reduce congestion and support safer boarding and deboarding during the festive rush, according to a report by Ahmedabad Mirror.
Passenger traffic in Ahmedabad is expected to increase, particularly on trains serving Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The report said the rush could intensify over the weekend as employees receive salaries ahead of Diwali and travel to their hometowns.
At Kalupur and Sabarmati stations, passengers will be directed to special holding areas fitted with lighting, fans, drinking water and toilets. They will wait in these designated spaces and form queues before their trains arrive. Entry to the platforms will then be managed in phases to limit overcrowding and jostling.
The arrangements place crowd movement, rather than only train operations, at the centre of the railway’s festive-season response. Large volumes of passengers and accompanying family members can create pressure at station entrances, concourses, platforms and boarding points, making controlled access important during peak periods.
Western Railway is also deploying additional Railway Protection Force and Government Railway Police personnel at the two Ahmedabad stations. Staff equipped with walkie-talkies will coordinate crowd management, while CCTV cameras will be used to identify congestion hotspots and enable quicker intervention.
The Railway Commercial Department, RPF and GRP will jointly oversee passenger queues and boarding arrangements during the period. The platform-ticket suspension at the six stations is scheduled to continue through November 15, while the holding areas and enhanced security measures at Kalupur and Sabarmati are intended to manage the festive travel surge.
