Pune Railway Station Deploys Extra Staff, Restricts Platform Tickets to Manage Diwali-Chhath Rush
Reported by Amit Singh
Pune, 10th October 2025: To manage the heavy passenger rush expected during Diwali and Chhath festivals, Pune Division of Central Railway has implemented a comprehensive crowd management plan, including additional train services, passenger holding areas, and enhanced security arrangements.
A total of 1,007 special train trips (Up and Down combined) have been arranged to clear the festive rush for destinations including Danapur (DNR), Gorakhpur (GKP), Hazrat Nizamuddin (NZM), Sangrur (SNGN), Varanasi City (VGLI), Nagpur (NGP), Kalaburagi (KLBG), and Gaya (GCT). Wide publicity for these services is being undertaken to inform passengers.
A temporary holding area of 600 sq. meters with a capacity to accommodate around 1,000 passengers has been constructed at Platform No. 1 (VIP Siding) of Pune Railway Station. The area aims to streamline passenger flow, prevent overcrowding, and ensure safe boarding, especially for general class travelers.
The holding area is equipped with fans, lights, drinking water, toilets, CCTV surveillance, and real-time train display systems. Food and water are being provided through authorized vendors.
To assist passengers, continuous announcements and digital display boards are providing real-time updates on train schedules and crowd management. Physical barricades and directional signage have been placed to guide passenger movement effectively.
Deployment of additional staff includes 12 ticket checking personnel and 25 RPF staff in the morning shift and 15 ticket checking staff along with 50 RPF/MSF in the evening shift. These teams are ensuring security, queue management, and proper boarding in general coaches.
Festival special trains are being berthed at least 30 minutes before departure, with coordination from the Operating Department to prevent last-minute platform changes.
To prevent overcrowding, issuance of unreserved tickets (UTS) will be regulated based on seating capacity, and sale of platform tickets will be restricted from October 17 to 25, 2025. Additionally, parcel booking operations at Pune Station will remain suspended during the same period.
Passenger assistance is being enhanced with a ‘May I Help You’ booth, four additional UTS counters (increasing from seven to eleven), and five extra ATVM facilitators (total 15).
Officers from all departments, including Commercial Inspectors and Supervisors, have been deployed shift-wise from September 25 to October 31, 2025, for monitoring and coordination. Regular photo updates from key station areas such as platforms, booking offices, and entry gates are being shared via WhatsApp groups for real-time supervision.
Additionally, data on crowd and train operations is being updated every four hours on a Google Sheet monitored by the Railway Board, and adequate numbers of Sahayaks are being ensured for passenger convenience.
Hemant Kumar Behera, Divisional Commercial Manager (DCM) and PRO, Pune Division, said, “The arrangements have been made keeping passenger safety and convenience as the top priority during the festive season. With coordinated efforts across departments, we aim to ensure smooth operations and a comfortable travel experience for all passengers.”
