Union Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday inspected the newly constructed Yatri Suvidha Kendra (Permanent Holding Area) at New Delhi Railway Station ahead of the busy festive season.
The center, designed to accommodate around 7,000 passengers at any given time, aims to enhance pre-boarding comfort and streamline passenger flow across the terminal.
Ashwini Vaishnaw said, “The newly developed state-of-the-art Yatri Suvidha Kendra will provide comfort to passengers during the festival season as there is a surge in the passenger volume. Yatri Suvidha Kendra like this shall be developed at other stations in the country.”
Talking about the new construction, the Union Minister said the ticketing counter has been improved, and the changes will be appropriately tested during the festival surge the station experiences every year. He also asked officials to have proper cybersecurity measures against the use of automated systems to book multiple tickets.
"There is a sudden surge every time during festivals at New Delhi Railway Station. For this, there was an experiment done two years ago about a temporary holding area. Now, a permanent holding area has been made for passengers who do not have a reserved ticket. It can be seen that the new ticketing counters are shifted here (holding area). When passengers come here, they will have a welcoming environment", Vaishnaw told mediapersons during his inspection.
"During the time of the upcoming festivals, the systems will be tested properly, and the learnings we get from this, we will also implement new facilities like that at other stations too", he said.
The Central government has also arranged a record number of special trains for Chhath and Diwali, with around 12000 set to run across the country.
"Overall, around 34,000 km of new rail tracks have been laid out, and the capacity of railways has really increased. Overall, from the 12000 trains, around 10,700 have already been notified and 150 rigs have been planned to give around 2000 services. This year, more than 12000 trains will be run across all corners of the country", he mentioned.
Three-zone layout to ease passenger movement
The Yatri Suvidha Kendra has been strategically divided into three zones to ensure smooth passenger movement: a Ticketing Area spanning 2,860 sqm, a Post-Ticketing Area covering 1,150 sqm, and a Pre-Ticketing Area spread over 1,218 sqm.
This segregation aims to reduce congestion and improve passenger comfort at the station’s main entrance, especially during peak travel periods of the festive season.
Passenger-centric design
Northern Railway has equipped the facility with a host of modern amenities to enhance convenience and safety.
Ticketing: 22 modern ticketing counters and 25 Automatic Ticket Vending Machines (ATVMs).
Capacity & Comfort: Seating for 200 passengers and 18 High Volume Low Speed (HVLS) Fans for effective cooling.
Sanitation & Water: A 652 sqm toilet block and an RO-based drinking water system.
Information & Safety: 24 speakers for announcements, 3 LED train information displays, and 7 advanced fire-fighting units.
Security: 18 CCTV cameras, 5 luggage scanners, and 5 Door Frame Metal Detectors (DFMDs).
During the construction of the Yatri Suvidha Kendra, Northern Railway had to navigate several logistical challenges, including the demolition and relocation of existing structures such as ATMs, a Delhi Police cabin, and hoarding boards. Essential utilities—water lines, drainage systems, and optical fiber cables—were also shifted without disrupting daily station operations.
Improved connectivity with foot over bridge extension
As part of the modernisation effort, an extension of Foot Over Bridge 1 (FOB 1) was also completed. The upgrade now enables passengers de-boarding at New Delhi railway station to exit toward the New Delhi metro station directly, easing platform congestion and improving multi-modal connectivity.
*With Agency Inputs
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