East Central Railway (ECR) has expanded security and crowd-management arrangements across its network ahead of the Chhath rush, deploying additional Railway Protection Special Force personnel, creating holding areas at 30 major stations and setting up a CCTV-linked war room at its Hajipur headquarters.
Amaresh Kumar, ECR principal chief security commissioner-cum-inspector general of the Railway Protection Force, said two additional companies of the RPSF had been deployed at vulnerable locations across the railway zone’s five divisions. The deployment is intended to strengthen security at stations and other locations expected to experience heavy passenger movement during the festival period.
Holding areas are being created to regulate the flow of passengers and prevent overcrowding on platforms and within station premises. At Patna Junction, Rajendra Nagar Terminal, Danapur and Patliputra Junction, designated areas will accommodate passengers during peak hours and help prevent crowds from spilling onto platforms, foot overbridges and circulating areas, Kumar said.
The railway has also established a special war room at ECR headquarters in Hajipur for real-time monitoring and coordination. The facility will receive continuous inputs from closed-circuit television cameras installed at stations and other sensitive locations. It will coordinate with divisional authorities to respond to emergencies, according to Kumar.
Railway Protection Force personnel will remain on round-the-clock duty at major stations, with particular attention to crowded platforms, entry and exit points and foot overbridges. The arrangements are focused not only on security incidents but also on managing the movement of passengers through areas where congestion can build quickly during peak travel periods.
ECR will keep wheelchairs, stretchers and first-aid boxes available at stations to assist passengers during medical emergencies. Quick Response Teams and disaster management teams will also be stationed at busy railway stations, Kumar said.
As part of the festive safety plan, ponds and rivers near railway tracks will remain under strict surveillance. The railway official said officials would maintain close coordination throughout the Chhath period to manage passenger movement and support safe travel. The measures will operate across ECR’s five divisions, with the Hajipur war room serving as the central monitoring and coordination point.
