New DelhiThis time, Indian Railways has adopted a new strategy to control the potentially huge crowd of passengers on Holi. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is being used for ticket sales, route determination of trains and crowd management at the station. Railways claims that this will provide relief to passengers from long queues and waiting. Chief Public Relations Officer of Northern Railway, Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay said, there should not be a situation of chaos at any station. Real-time assessment of the crowd is being done through AI and if needed, a decision is being taken to run special trains only for half an hour, so that the passengers can get immediate relief. In view of the festival of Holi, this time a special holding area has been prepared at New Delhi Railway Station. High resolution cameras have been installed here, which continuously assess the number of unreserved passengers. Based on the data received from these cameras, the AI system does real-time analysis of the crowd. Accordingly, the number, timing and operation plan of trains is decided, so that the sudden increase in crowd can be controlled immediately. Railways has prepared a separate holding area for unreserved passengers at New Delhi station, where the complete data of ticket sales is being sent directly to the AI system. The number and frequency of trains is being increased in the direction for which the maximum number of unreserved tickets are being sold. That is, now the trains are not being operated as per the scheduled time, but on the basis of actual demand of passengers and crowd figures.
Passengers will get these facilities in the holding area
The holding area near Ajmeri Gate at New Delhi station has been divided into pre-ticketing, ticketing and post ticketing sections. More than 25 ticket counters and 25 ATVM machines have been installed here. Railway staff are deployed to help the passengers. More than 150 toilets, food stalls and drinking water facilities are available in this area. A large number of RPF and GRP personnel are deployed at the station. Also, first aid facility is also available.
Special trains and platform arrangements
Holi special trains are mainly being run from platform number 16. Entry will be made from Ajmeri Gate and passengers are being queued up and taken to platform number 16 with the help of railway staff. Unreserved ticket holders will remain in the holding area first and will be sent to the platform at the time of the train. Timings of special trains have also been changed so that crowding is reduced. Northern Railway has run special trains on Holi. Most of these are for Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Bengal and Assam. In case of increased crowd, additional special trains will also be started.
Entry-exit rules also changed
— Special train passengers will be able to enter only from Ajmeri Gate.
— Passengers with confirmed tickets of other trains will be able to come from Paharganj and Ajmeri Gate.
— Passengers without tickets or those on waiting list will have to wait in the waiting area.
— These arrangements have been made at the station for the passengers
— Additional ticket counters and help desk.
— Food and drinking water facilities.
— Security personnel deployed near the foot over bridge and metro gate.
— Large number of pandals and mini control rooms for passengers.
— Reserve racks and backup trains ready if needed.
Railways made this request to the passengers
— Reach the station at least an hour before the scheduled time of your train.
— Do not keep luggage on stairs and platforms.
— Ignore rumors and take help from railway staff.
In the discussion, Chief Public Relations Officer of Northern Railway, Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay said, Holi is one of the major festivals of Sanatan Dharma. Many people working or doing business away from home want to celebrate the festival of Holi with their loved ones at home. For this, Northern Railway has made special arrangements for the passengers. At every major station like New Delhi, Anand Vihar and other important stations where a large number of people come to catch the train, strict arrangements have been made. The duty of personnel has been increased for the safety of passengers. Upadhyay said, in view of Holi, many special trains are being run by Northern Railway. Almost most of these trains are for Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Bengal, Assam. In case of increased crowd, other special trains will also be started. Announcements are being made at all the railway stations of Delhi for information about special trains. This information will also be given through social media. To ensure that passengers do not face any problem in purchasing tickets, ticket counters have also been made in the holding areas prepared in all the railway stations. So that passengers can easily buy tickets from there.
