Jaipur: With the festive season triggering a massive rush of passengers at Jaipur Junction, the railway administration has drawn up an elaborate rolling crowd management and security plan, which will come into effect from Nov 4. However, despite the increasing footfall, arrangements to regulate passenger movement, including the proposed crowd holding area, are yet to become operational.
Heavy rush at the Jaipur railway station on Sunday as NWR’s crowd management plan is missing
TOI’s Sunday visit to Jaipur Junction revealed heavy congestion across the station, with platforms, escalators and foot overbridges witnessing a massive rush. Several passengers were also seen bypassing baggage X-ray scanning, raising concerns over security arrangements amid the festive rush. Despite congestion, railway authorities maintained that the comprehensive crowd management measures would be implemented from Nov 4. Authorities claimed that at the entrance area, a crowd holding area for passengers travelling in reserved and unreserved coaches of various trains would be made.Heavy crowds were particularly visible on platforms 1, 2 and 3, while movement on escalators and foot overbridges was also affected. Passengers complained of inconvenience in accessing platforms with their luggage and alleged that porters were charging exorbitant rates.“Reaching platform number 4 with luggage was a Herculean task amid the rush,” said Anil Awasthi, who was travelling from Jaipur to Ambala.Under the temporary arrangement, the second entry gate on the Hasanpura side will be used exclusively for passenger exits from Nov 4 to 16 to ease pressure on the main entrance. Entry through this gate will remain restricted as some construction work is still pending. Passengers will have to enter the station through the main entrance near Bhagwan Parshuram Circle.Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), Jaipur, Ravi Jain, also inspected the station Sunday and reviewed the arrangements. He directed officials to ensure smooth arrival and departure of trains and facilitate the movement of passengers.Jaipur Junction handles more than 100 pairs of trains daily, with an average footfall of 80,000 to one lakh passengers. During the festive season, however, the number is expected to surge to 2 lakh to 2.5 lakh daily.“The actual rush is expected to intensify between Nov 4 and 16. Accordingly, we have planned a dedicated crowd holding area, barricading at various platforms and deployment of more than 150 additional Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel. The RPF control room will maintain continuous surveillance, while CCTV cameras installed across the station will monitor passenger movement and crowd density. Security deployment is also proposed to be increased up to three times the normal strength,” said Amit Sudarshan, chief public relations officer, North Western Railway.
