As the festive season is approaching, the Central Railway has taken a precautionary measure to manage the expected crowd of passengers at major train terminuses in Mumbai. To avoid overcrowding and ensure passenger safety during the busy New Year period, the sale of platform tickets will be temporarily halted at key stations.
The decision to withdraw the sale of platform tickets came after a series of mishaps at long-distance train stations after an unfortunate accident on October 27, 2024, occurred at the Wadala Terminus of the Western Railway. A train heading towards Gorakhpur created a mishap that injured nine people. In response to the mishap, both Central and Western Railways suspended the sale of platform tickets from long-distance train stations.
As the New Year holiday period is going to attract more foot traffic, the Central Railway has revived this measure to avoid further complications and smooth out the station operations.
With the New Year celebrations, it will also attract leisure travelers, family get-togethers, or religious pilgrimages, thereby bound to raise the station footfall, and controlling the number of persons accessing the platforms through the sale of tickets will ensure that there is no risk of overcrowding, the chances for social distancing, and, therefore, a safer place for the passengers.
Platform Ticket Sale Suspensions
The sale of platform tickets will be banned from December 29, 2024, up to 12:00 midnight on January 2, 2024. This is the peak period for New Year travel, and the suspension is expected to make the entire travel experience better. The restriction will help ease congestion, making it easier for passengers to move around stations and avoid unnecessary crowding.
Special Requirements by the Central Railway: Recognizing the needs of various passengers, the Central Railway has exempted platform ticket bans. It includes people with age issues, people suffering from medical conditions, children, people who are unable to travel alone like those who cannot read or write and female travelers who can’t travel alone will not be affected by the restriction. Thus, ensuring the easy access of stations to vulnerable passengers.
Comfort Into The Future
The halt on the sale of platform tickets is one of the railway’s measures to improve passenger safety during peak seasons, such as the New Year. In this regard, the Central Railway hopes to make traveling more manageable and comfortable for the public while ensuring that the stations remain orderly, safe, and efficient during peak travel times.
This temporary change in the policy of the platform ticket is a timely reminder of the requirement for safety and crowd management, especially during busy holiday seasons.
The following stations will be affected by the temporary ban on platform ticket sales: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Dadar, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, Thane, Kalyan, Panvel, Pune, Nagpur, Nashik Road, Bhusawal, Akola, Solapur, Kalaburagi, Latur.
Exemptions To Restrictions
Special Requirements by the Central Railway: Recognizing the needs of various passengers, the Central Railway has exempted platform ticket bans. It includes people with age issues, people suffering from medical conditions, children, people who are unable to travel alone like those who cannot read or write and female travelers who can’t travel alone will not be affected by the restriction. Thus, ensuring the easy access of stations to vulnerable passengers.
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