Surat, known as Mini India, attracts people from various states, including Gujarat, who come here in search of employment. During festivals, a large number of these individuals return to their hometowns, resulting in heavy rush on trains. Last Diwali, a young man lost his life in the stampede to board a train. Now, ahead of the upcoming Diwali festivities, crowds have already started gathering at Udhna Railway Station. This year, Udhna Railway Station is expected to witness more crowds than Surat Railway Station. To manage the situation, special arrangements have been made at Udhna Railway Station, including deploying police forces to ensure passengers board trains in an orderly manner.
The large crowd at Udhna Railway Station is due to people from other states residing in Surat heading back to their hometowns for the Diwali festival. Many have already begun their journey home by train. Surat Railway Station has only three operational platforms, whereas Udhna Railway Station has six. Due to ongoing development work at Surat Railway Station, most Diwali special trains will operate from Udhna Station this year. As a result, a significant crowd has already gathered at Udhna. Passengers, particularly from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, have been seen lining up for over a kilometer. People arrived early in the morning and waited for their trains, prompting the deployment of strict police security.
Medical Team and Ambulance Deployed
Given the large crowd, a medical team will be available 24/7 at Udhna Railway Station to handle any emergencies. The railway authorities are making all necessary preparations to manage the situation. A special medical team and ambulance will be stationed at Udhna Station, ensuring immediate assistance if any passenger requires medical aid or needs to be transported to a nearby hospital. Additionally, seven unreserved ticket counters have been set up on the western side of Udhna Station to expedite the ticketing process for passengers traveling on unreserved special trains. The number of ticket counters has been increased from 22 to 25.
CCTV Surveillance for Safety
In addition to reserved trains, several unreserved special trains will run throughout the day. It is estimated that 5,000 to 6,000 passengers will gather at a time to board each train. Millions of passengers across India are traveling to their villages for Diwali and Chhath Puja. From Surat, lakhs of people will head to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar for these festivals. Udhna Railway Station currently has about 70 RPF (Railway Protection Force) personnel. Additionally, 90 extra RPSF (Railway Protection Special Force) personnel will be brought in from Udhampur to Udhna and Surat. Moreover, 40 GRP (Government Railway Police) officers will be stationed at Udhna. CCTV cameras will be installed at all critical points for enhanced security.
86 Additional Trains to Run This Year
Considering the mass exodus for Diwali and Chhath Puja, Western Railways has decided to operate 86 additional trains this year, completing 1,380 trips between October 1 and November 30. These special trains are expected to benefit millions of passengers. Notably, last year, a young man tragically died in a stampede at Surat Railway Station while trying to board a train. To avoid such incidents, special trains have been announced in advance this year.
