Delhi railway stations will have 2,040 Railway Protection Force personnel on round-the-clock duty during the Diwali and Chhath travel rush, with 1,300 additional personnel deployed at New Delhi, Anand Vihar, Hazrat Nizamuddin and Old Delhi stations.
The deployment has been arranged by Northern Railway to manage the expected increase in passenger numbers and keep movement through the four stations orderly. The additional personnel will work in different shifts, with security and crowd-management duties continuing throughout the day and night.
A railway official said these stations record some of the highest festive-season footfall because a large number of passengers travel from Delhi towards Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and other parts of eastern Uttar Pradesh. The arrangements are intended to support passenger movement inside station premises, including access to platforms and train boarding areas.
The additional RPF personnel will be responsible for maintaining security, monitoring passenger movement and responding to situations that could disrupt the flow of people. The concentration of forces at the four stations reflects the pressure created when large groups of passengers arrive at the same time to wait for trains or reach crowded platforms.
New Delhi and Anand Vihar stations, in particular, face heavy passenger movement during the festival period as travellers attempt to reach their hometowns. In previous festive travel periods, overcrowding at entry points, concourses and platforms has made it difficult for passengers to move safely and has occasionally created disorder inside station premises.
The railway administration has asked passengers to remain alert and immediately inform RPF personnel about any suspicious object or activity. The appeal is part of the wider security and surveillance arrangement being implemented during the festival travel period.
The deployment also places crowd management alongside conventional security duties. Passenger movement can become difficult when trains serving high-demand routes attract large numbers of travellers, particularly during waiting, entry and platform-access periods. The authorities have not provided details in the report on special entry arrangements, passenger caps or changes to train operations.
The current arrangement covers the four major stations identified by Northern Railway as the busiest during the festive season: New Delhi, Anand Vihar, Hazrat Nizamuddin and Old Delhi. The 2,040-strong RPF deployment will remain responsible for security and passenger movement in separate shifts during the period of increased Diwali and Chhath travel.
