After 2024 stampede scare, Bandra Terminus to get 3,700-passenger holding area
10878756 bandra terminus passengers
- ✓10878756 bandra terminus passengers
- ✓The estimated cost of the project stands at Rs 16.43 crore.
- ✓Developed by the Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA), the dedicated holding area, spread across 2,625 square metres, will hold as many as 3,700 passengers.
- ✓A smaller 370-square-metre passenger holding area with a capacity of 600 commuters was also erected in the station’s east circulation area for crowd management.
To manage overcrowding and prevent a 2024 stampede-like situation, Bandra Terminus station is set to get a passenger holding area or ‘Yatri Suvidha Kendra’ ahead of Diwali in November. Railway officials aim to complete and launch the facility before the festival season in November.
The estimated cost of the project stands at Rs 16.43 crore. “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.
Developed by the Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA), the dedicated holding area, spread across 2,625 square metres, will hold as many as 3,700 passengers. Of this, 1,345 square metres will be earmarked as a pre-ticketing zone, equipped with 45 three-seater benches, five passenger information display screens, water coolers, drinking water taps, and toilets.
A 285-square-metre ticketing zone will have eight Unreserved Ticketing System (UTS) counters, 10 workstations, six Automatic Ticket Vending Machines (ATVMs), and a 995-square-metre post-ticketing zone to include two luggage scanners and a ramp exit.
Officials have said that passenger segregation will help regulate passenger flow towards the platforms, particularly during rush hours and festive seasons. The area outside the holding zone will also be fitted with bollards or short, thick posts, portable signage, reflective lights, and traffic marshals to prevent unauthorised vehicle entry.
The holding area is being constructed to prevent a stampede-like situation at Bandra Terminus in October 2024 when over 2,500 commuters attempted to board a Gorakhpur-bound train, leaving 10 injured. In the aftermath, Western Railway implemented precautionary measures, including restrictions on carrying excess baggage and issuing platform tickets.
A smaller 370-square-metre passenger holding area with a capacity of 600 commuters was also erected in the station’s east circulation area for crowd management. With the new 2,625 sqm facility, the station’s holding capacity is set to receive a significant boost, as well as reducing passenger concentration on platforms.
Currently, BDTS sees an average daily passenger footfall of 40,000 passengers and nearly 22 long-distance trains daily. The site is currently under construction and was inspected by Western Railway’s Mumbai Central Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Pankaj Singh in August.
Similar passenger holding facilities also exist at several stations on the Central Railway network across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. At Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), there's a facility to hold 1,000 commuters, while Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) has two facilities, accommodating nearly 3,000 passengers.
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| Issuing Authority | Maharashtra State Bureau (Mumbai) |
|---|---|
| Topic Category | STATES |
| Jurisdiction | MH State |
| Publication Date | 15 September 2026 |