Mumbai’s Bandra Terminus (BDTS) is set to receive a new passenger holding facility ahead of the Diwali travel rush, aimed at managing large crowds and reducing the risk of a repeat of the stampede-like incident witnessed in 2024.
The Rs 16.43-crore Yatri Suvidha Kendra, being developed by the Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA), will cover approximately 2,625 sq. m. and have the capacity to accommodate around 3,700 passengers at a time. Railway authorities are working towards completing the facility before the festival season in November.
“Railways being a heritage network, there are only a certain number of infrastructural upgrades, like increasing platform size, that can be undertaken. Since the platform space cannot be changed, such a facility would help distribute and manage passenger crowds effectively,” said a senior railway official.
Three-Zone Passenger Management System
The new facility will be divided into separate areas to regulate passenger movement before they reach the platforms.
A 1,345-sq-m pre-ticketing zone will feature 45 three-seater benches, five passenger information display screens, water coolers, drinking water taps and toilets.
The 285-sq-m ticketing section will include eight Unreserved Ticketing System (UTS) counters, 10 workstations and six Automatic Ticket Vending Machines (ATVMs).
A further 995-sq-m post-ticketing area will contain two luggage scanners and a ramp leading to the exit.
Officials said separating passengers into different zones will help control movement towards platforms, particularly during peak hours and the festive season when long-distance travel rises sharply.
The area around the holding facility will also include bollards, portable signboards, reflective lighting and traffic marshals to prevent unauthorised vehicle movement.
Response to 2024 Crowd Incident
The project follows the crowd surge at Bandra Terminus in October 2024, when more than 2,500 passengers attempted to board a Gorakhpur-bound train and 10 people were injured.
Western Railway introduced several crowd-management measures after the incident, including restrictions on excess baggage and tighter controls on platform tickets. A smaller 370-sq-m holding area with space for about 600 passengers was also created in the eastern circulation area.
The new facility will substantially expand the station’s dedicated holding capacity and is expected to reduce passenger concentration directly on platforms.
Important Facility for Mumbai’s Long-Distance Travellers
Bandra Terminus currently handles approximately 40,000 passengers every day and around 22 long-distance trains daily.
The under-construction facility was inspected by Western Railway’s Mumbai Central Divisional Railway Manager Pankaj Singh in August as work progressed.
Passenger holding areas are already being used at other major stations across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) has a facility for around 1,000 commuters, while Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) has two such facilities capable of accommodating nearly 3,000 passengers.
For Mumbai, the Bandra Terminus project is expected to strengthen crowd management during one of the busiest travel periods of the year, particularly when thousands of passengers head to their hometowns for Diwali. By keeping passengers organised before they enter the platforms, the facility aims to make long-distance train travel safer and more orderly during peak periods.
Source: The Indian Express
