Indian Railways festive crowd management: The Ministry of Railways has stepped up efforts to manage crowds during Diwali and Chhath Puja. The measures include running special trains, deploying additional Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel, installing 700 AI cameras, and setting up dedicated passenger holding areas to ensure smooth movement and better security at major railway stations.On Friday, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw reviewed passenger facilities, security arrangements and preparations at New Delhi Railway Station (NDLS). He said that Railways has taken several steps to improve passenger facilities and services and make travel more convenient.Also Read | Amid festive rush, New Delhi Railway Station gets separate entry and exit gates for reserved, unreserved passengersVaishnaw also stressed that special attention is being given to ensure passengers can reach their respective trains as quickly as possible after arriving at the station. The minister further said that Railways has arranged dedicated holding areas, additional ticket counters, baggage screening, drinking water and clean washrooms at major stations to make travel more comfortable and convenient for passengers. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw at New Delhi Railway Station (Image: Northern Railway)Holding Area (Yatri Suvidha Kendra) at New Delhi Railway StationIn a statement, Indian Railways said that a dedicated holding area has been set up for passengers with reserved tickets, in addition to the facility for unreserved passengers introduced last year. A common holding area has also been created to manage entry and passenger movement. Meanwhile, luggage checking facilities have been shifted outside the station building to reduce congestion.“As a result, the space previously used for ticketing inside the station has been converted into a comfortable waiting area. These arrangements help reduce congestion, simplify passenger movement, and provide a more convenient waiting experience before passengers proceed to their respective platforms,” it said. Holding Area at NDLS (Image: Northern Railway)Delhi railway stations handle 8 lakh passengers daily amid festive rushDelhi’s major railway stations, including New Delhi, Old Delhi, Anand Vihar Terminal, Hazrat Nizamuddin and Sarai Rohilla, recorded around 2 crore passenger movements between October 1 and November 5, 2026. The average daily footfall at these stations is around 5 lakh passengers. However, during the peak festive period from November 1 to 5, the number increased to around 8 lakh passengers per day, it said.PASSENGER FOOTFALL AT MAJOR RAILWAY STATIONS: 1 OCTOBER–5 NOVEMBER 2026Source: Ministry of RailwaysMumbai~1.5 crorepassenger movements, 1 Oct–5 NovBandra Terminus, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT), Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT)Usual average daily footfall~4 lakhAverage daily footfall, peak 1–5 Nov~5 lakh+25% at peakHyderabad~90 lakhpassenger movements, 1 Oct–5 NovSecunderabad, Kacheguda, CharlapalliUsual average daily footfall~2.5 lakhAverage daily footfall, peak 1–5 Nov~4 lakh+60% at peakBengaluru~1 crorepassenger movements, 1 Oct–5 NovBengaluru City, Sir M. Visvesvaraya Terminal (SMVB), Yesvantpur, YelahankaUsual average daily footfall~2.5 lakhAverage daily footfall, peak 1–5 Nov~3.5 lakh+40% at peakSurat~50 lakhpassenger movements, 1 Oct–5 NovSurat and UdhnaUsual average daily footfall~1 lakhAverage daily footfall, peak 1–5 Nov~1.6 lakh+60% at peakAll figures are approximate, as stated. 1 crore = 100 lakh. The rise at peak is calculated from the usual and peak daily figures. Bars scale to 5 lakh per day.Reservation counters in Delhi Division to remain open till 2 PM on DiwaliNorthern Railway has revised the timings of Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters across the Delhi Division on the occasion of Diwali. As per the revised schedule, reservation counters at designated locations will operate from 8 AM to 2 PM and remain closed during the second shift (2 PM to 8 PM).Story continues below this adThe revised timings will apply to 28 locations, including Anand Vihar Terminal, Gurugram, Delhi Cantt, Faridabad, Palwal, Sonipat, Panipat, Rohtak, Meerut City and Greater Noida. However, 24-hour current reservation counters at New Delhi, Delhi Main, Hazrat Nizamuddin, Anand Vihar Terminal and other designated stations will continue to operate as usual.Some PRS counters will also remain closed throughout November 8. These include locations that normally remain closed on Sundays, such as Baraut, Naya Ghaziabad, Narwana, Gohana, Kaithal and Jhajjar.