Mumbai Railways To Set Up Holding Areas At Stations To Manage Diwali Rush & Prevent Overcrowding On Platforms

Mumbai: With thousands of passengers heading home for Diwali and Chhath Puja, Central and Western Railway have set up holding areas at major Mumbai terminals to prevent overcrowding on platforms. The facilities are intended to accommodate passengers who arrive hours before their trains, allowing railway staff to regulate entry to platforms and reduce the risk of overcrowding during the festive rush.

Managing Festive Passenger Rush

The arrangements come as Mumbai’s suburban railway network is expected to see a further increase in passenger movement around major long-distance terminals. Many passengers travelling to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and other states reach stations three to four hours before departure. Holding areas allow them to wait in designated spaces before being admitted to platforms in batches, according to train schedules. This is particularly important at stations where suburban and long-distance passengers share access points, creating additional pressure on circulating areas and platforms.

Holding Areas At Major Terminals

At Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, the holding area can accommodate 3,000 passengers at a time, while Lokmanya Tilak Terminus has space for 10,000. Western Railway’s Bandra Terminus has a new holding area spread across 2,625 square metres, with a planned capacity of around 3,700 passengers. An earlier holding area there can accommodate another 600. Similar arrangements have been made at Dadar, Kalyan and other major stations.

The facilities include drinking water, seating, fans, lighting, toilets and public announcement systems. Railway Protection Force and commercial department staff are being deployed to guide passengers and regulate movement. Western Railway has also temporarily stopped issuing platform tickets to discourage unnecessary entry into crowded station areas.

Ticketless Travel Raises Additional Concerns

However, the festive rush also raises concerns about ticketless travel on Mumbai’s suburban network. With additional passengers moving through major terminals, checking for valid tickets becomes crucial to prevent overcrowding and ensure that those travelling to catch long-distance trains can move safely.

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Measures Aim To Reduce Congestion

The holding areas are therefore more than waiting spaces. By keeping passengers away from platforms until their trains are ready for boarding, the railways hope to reduce congestion at some of Mumbai’s busiest stations during one of the year’s heaviest travel periods.

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