Decongesting railway stations: Fewer catering stalls to ease flow of passengers

In a bid to decongest railway platforms and ease passenger movement, railway officials are coming up with measures including shifting of catering stalls from island platforms to home platforms, or areas with more space. An island platform witnesses train movement on either side while home platform is next to the entry or exit of stations.

According to senior railway officials, a blueprint is being prepared to position catering stalls in such a manner that they do not obstruct passenger movement. Changes in the catering policy are also being made to decrease presence of catering stalls at stations, they said.

“A regular catering stall requires at least 10 x 6 metre space on the platform. Even if three stalls with the same requirement are done away with, then this could allow better passenger flow. We are conducting a survey to understand how it can be done,” a senior railway official said.

Stations with fast train halts on the main line of the Central Railway and the Western Railway have many catering stalls on island platforms, which witness a heavy rush. The railways has begun seeking written confirmations from licensees of catering contractors to move their stalls to spaces that are less crowded.

Officials are also pinning their hopes on the new catering policy that allows a licensee to operate only one catering stall at a station. “In peak hours, commuters crowd at popular stalls in stations. This consumes a lot of space on the platform leading to congestion. We have spoken to at least 176 licensees to concede to the (one stall) rule, and at least 72 have given their assent,” a senior CR official said.

The report of the WR audit team — set up after the Elphinstone Road station stampede — points out a number of “unused structures” on island platforms, such as debris and billboards, which eat into passenger space. “There are a number of unused structures particularly on island platforms, which need to be removed. The division has already estimated the work and tendering process has been initiated. Apart from these, the feasibility of shifting unimportant utilities from platforms need to be examined,” according to one of the suggestions in the report. The report has been sent to the Railway Board for review.

“The requirement of catering stalls and toilets, particularly on island platforms, needs to be rationalised. In principle, catering stalls and toilets should be available only in the concourse area (open area) and platforms should be kept unhindered,” another suggestion said.

On a similar note, the WR authorities have expressed the need to review luggage limit. The audit team has suggested reduction of free luggage limit of commuters holding card-tickets to 15 kg from 50 kg in first class compartments, and 10 kg from 35 kg in second class compartments.

Restricting Wi-Fi usage in ticketing areas, trespass control measures including boundary walls, and segregating peak hour rush at stations were other suggestions.

Welcoming the measures, Subhash Gupta, railway activist said: “It is a welcome move. Looking at the large footfall at stations and frequency of services, commuters halting at platform area for a longer time proves dangerous. Stations made by CIDCO in Navi Mumbai see no such problem due to absence of any catering stalls at the station.”