Western Railway has started excavation for a new holding area at Mumbai’s Bandra Terminus that will accommodate up to 3,700 passengers before they are allowed to proceed to train platforms. The ₹16,43,29,117 project is intended to control festival-season crowds and reduce the risk of dangerous congestion at the station.
The facility is being constructed in front of the main entrance and parcel office, on land that was previously used for parking. It will replace the existing holding area, which has a capacity of around 1,000 passengers. According to the report, the new facility is being developed on the model of the holding areas at major terminals in Delhi.
The holding area will enable railway authorities to temporarily regulate passenger movement before a train arrives. Instead of allowing large numbers of passengers to gather on a platform at the same time, passengers can be managed in stages and moved towards the platform as operational conditions permit.
The project follows a crowding incident at Bandra Terminus in October 2024, when a large rush of passengers attempting to board a train led to a stampede-like situation. Several passengers were injured, according to the report. The incident prompted plans for dedicated passenger holding areas at major railway terminals across the country.
The proposed Bandra facility will cover 2,625 square metres. Its layout will include a 1,345-square-metre pre-ticketing zone, a 285-square-metre ticketing zone and a 995-square-metre post-ticketing zone. The station will have 45 three-seater passenger benches, a 400-litre RO water cooler, separate modern toilets for men, women and persons with disabilities, and a baby-care room.
The design also includes security and passenger-information infrastructure. The facility is expected to have 20 bullet cameras, two pan-tilt-zoom cameras and a war room for surveillance and coordination. Security equipment will include two door-frame metal detectors, two handheld metal detectors and two luggage scanners. An automatic fire alarm and voice-alarm system are also planned.
Passenger services will include eight UTS ticket counters, six automatic ticket vending machines, five large display screens, LED boards, more than 40 public-address speakers and free Wi-Fi across the holding area. A generator room is also part of the planned facility.
Bandra Terminus is among eight Maharashtra terminals included in the Indian Railways’ plan to create passenger holding areas. The other five Mumbai terminals identified in the plan are Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Dadar and Mumbai Central. The facilities are intended to manage surges at terminals, particularly during major travel periods.
The report said the new Bandra facility is being planned ahead of the Diwali and Chhath Puja travel period, which is expected in about two months. The next operational milestone will be the completion of construction and commissioning of the holding area before the festive passenger rush.
