Wed Oct 22 19:48:38 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article based on the provided text, summarized and rewritten for a general audience:
News Article:
New Delhi Railway Station Gears Up for Massive Chhath Puja Rush
New Delhi, October 23, 2025 – New Delhi Railway Station (NDLS) is bracing for an unprecedented influx of over seven lakh passengers as people head home to Bihar and other eastern states for the Chhath Puja festival, which starts October 25th. Authorities are pulling out all the stops to ensure a safe and orderly travel experience during what is expected to be one of the station’s busiest weeks of the year.
To manage the surge, the railway is deploying 850 Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel, operating 12 special trains in addition to the regular services, and has opened a brand-new Yatri Suvidha Kendra (passenger convenience center) to ease congestion. This is a significant increase from the usual 360 RPF personnel who manage a daily footfall of five lakh people.
“We’ve learned from past incidents and have been working tirelessly for over a month to prevent any untoward events during this festive season,” said Rakesh Sharma, station manager at NDLS. He also mentioned the introduction of additional ‘clone’ trains to cater for the increased demand during peak hours.
Security has been significantly enhanced with RPF personnel brought in from neighboring states. They will be stationed on platforms and foot overbridges to manage crowd flow. Passenger movement to Bihar and Uttar Pradesh will be concentrated on Platforms 1 and 16, which are closest to the entry and exit gates, while other platforms will handle regular train services.
A mini control room monitors feeds from 297 CCTV cameras, enabling authorities to quickly identify and disperse any crowd build-up. Medical teams, including doctors and nurses, are on standby in the control room and first-aid booths have been set up across the platforms.
The newly constructed Yatri Suvidha Kendra is a key component of the crowd management strategy. The hall is divided into pre-ticketing, ticketing, and station entry zones. The pre-ticketing zone offers essential amenities like drinking water and accessible washrooms. The ticketing zone boasts 20 counters and 25 automated ticket vending machines, all staffed to assist passengers. According to Santosh Kumar, assistant vice-president (projects) at DEC, the firm which built the facility, this will ensure orderly queuing, reduce congestion, and provide a safer, smoother journey.
Authorities are confident that these measures will ensure a safe and manageable travel experience for all passengers during the Chhath Puja celebrations.
Summary of the Provided Text:
The article describes preparations at New Delhi Railway Station (NDLS) to handle a large influx of passengers traveling for Chhath Puja. It details increased security measures, additional trains, a new passenger convenience center, and enhanced medical readiness aimed at ensuring passenger safety and managing crowd flow during this peak travel period.
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