Central Railway asks admin to create space for pilgrims

NASHIK: The Central Railway has expressed its inability to handle more than 75,000 passengers per day in a single direction and has requested the district administration to create space at Bytco Point, Upanagar and Dwarka where pilgrims on their return journey can be held back till the station clears up.
"We have presented our disaster management plan to the district administration and pointed out that we can handle at the most 75,000 people through the currently planned 11 special trains for the mega-religious congregation and other regular moving trains," divisional security commissioner of the Central Railway Bhusawal C M Mishra said.
On an average, a single train carries around 3,200 passengers. While the pilgrims' traffic coming to Nashik will be automatically regulated, it is the outgoing traffic that the Central Railway is worried about and has thus requested the district administration to plan for holding places.
"We have planned for holding spaces in areas within our jurisdiction - in and around the platforms at the Nashik Road railway station, both on Nashik city-side and Sinnar-side. While three holding areas with a capacity to encompass 5,000 pilgrims will be constructed outside the goods shed, one holding area each will be created on the city-side and Sinnar-side," Mishra said. Besides, one holding area each will be constructed outside Devlali and Odha railway stations.
"But that does not solve our problem given that the pilgrims are likely to rush to the station to catch the train. Though the entry points to the holding areas will be manned, the personnel would not be able to curtail all the people outside the main entrance. Hence, the pilgrims should be held back at a couple of places for which we have suggested places like Bytco Point, Upanagar and Dwarka," Mishra added.
People entering the holding spaces can be given tokens to ensure their entry into the next holding area as they advance towards the railway station.
"We will be guiding the pilgrims with the help of the railway police force (RPF), the government railway police (GRP) and the Bharat Scout and Guide (BSG). All the passengers coming to Nashik during the mela via trains will be allowed to exit only from the NMC-held area towards the east of the station. Only after the trains arrive at the stations, the pilgrims will be let in," the officer said.
Entry restricted to passengers with reserved tickets only
The railway has decided to allow only those passengers with a valid reserved ticket to enter the platform during the Shahi Snan days to manage the local travellers. The system has been designed to keep unwanted elements away from the railway station and to ensure the safety and security of the travellers. This will automatically separate the daily travellers from the Kumbh crowd.