Indian Railways: Big news for railway passengers. The Ministry of Railways has intensified its preparations to handle the large influx of passengers during the Diwali and Chhath festivals. As part of its crowd-control strategies, the Railways is running 18,000 special trains, deploying extra Railway Protection Force personnel, and installing Artificial Intelligence-enabled cameras at key railway stations.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw made these remarks while inspecting the passenger holding areas at New Delhi Railway Station yesterday evening. He noted that New Delhi Railway Station manages over five lakh passengers on an average day, with the daily footfall increasing to approximately eight lakh during peak times.
Mr Vaishnaw also mentioned that more than 700 Artificial Intelligence-enabled cameras have been installed at New Delhi Railway Station to track passenger movement and facilitate effective crowd management. He added that this year, separate holding areas have been created for reserved and unreserved passengers to enhance their convenience and avoid overcrowding at the station.
🚨Indian Railways deploys 700+ AI-enabled cameras at New Delhi Railway Station to monitor passenger movement and prevent overcrowding during the peak festive rush https://t.co/dmupRxl4R0
“>November 7, 2026
The Minister further stated that similar holding areas have been set up at several major railway stations nationwide that experience heavy passenger volumes during the festival season. Holding Area (Yatri Suvidha Kendra) at New Delhi Railway Station
Indian Railways announced that a specific holding area has been established for passengers holding reserved tickets, complementing the facility for unreserved passengers introduced the previous year. Additionally, a shared holding area has been created to oversee entry and passenger flow. At the same time, luggage inspection facilities have been relocated outside the station building to alleviate crowding.