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Ludhiana: Special waiting area set up, security beefed up at Ludhiana Junction to tackle Holi rush
Ludhiana Junction enhances crowd management and security for Holi as thousands of passengers return home, with special trains added to ease travel.
Anticipating a surge of outbound passengers ahead of Holi, Ludhiana Junction railway station has ramped up crowd-management and security measures as thousands of migrant workers prepare to return to their hometowns in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh for the festival.
The station, among the busiest in Punjab, records an average daily footfall of nearly 50,000 commuters. During peak festive periods such as Holi, Diwali and Chhath, the number swells to between 70,000 and 80,000, prompting authorities to initiate pre-emptive arrangements.
To streamline passenger movement and prevent overcrowding, station authorities on Friday set up a large temporary waiting area in the circulating zone to accommodate travellers and their families. In a bid to regulate entry and ease congestion on platforms, the sale of platform tickets has been suspended till March 3.
Security has also been intensified. The Railway Protection Force (RPF) has drawn up a detailed patrolling plan aligned with train schedules to ensure heightened vigilance during peak movement hours.
“We have prepared patrol plans according to train timings to ensure constant alertness during heavy passenger movement,” said RPF Incharge Ludhiana, inspector SB Yadav.
The stepped-up surveillance assumes significance as it comes just over a month after a bomb blast on a freight railway track in Sirhind on January 24, an incident that had triggered security concerns across the division.
Special trains to ease rush
To further ease the festive rush, Northern Railways is operating nine special trains to Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, of which three will pass through Ludhiana Junction and six via Dhandari Kalan.
At Ludhiana Junction, train number 04616 will run between Ferozpur and Ara in Bihar on February 26, March 2 and March 6, arriving at 3 pm and departing at 3.30 pm. Train number 04604 will operate between Katra and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh on February 22, February 26, March 2 and March 8, reaching the station at 12.45 am and leaving at 12.55 am. Additionally, train number 04616 from Ferozpur to Danapur will run on February 26, March 2 and March 6, arriving at 3 pm and departing at 3.30 pm.
Six more special trains will pass via Dhandari Kalan. Train number 04614 from Amritsar to Katihar in Bihar will operate on February 24, February 28 and March 4, arriving at 4.30 pm and departing at 4.40 pm. Train number 04610 from Amritsar to Mansi in Bihar will run on February 25, March 1 and March 5, reaching at 4.30 pm and leaving at 4.40 pm. Train number 05006 from Amritsar to Barhni in Bihar will operate on Wednesday, arriving at 3.05 pm and departing at 3.15 pm. Train number 05735 from Amritsar to Katihar will run on February 27, March 6 and March 13, reaching at 3.45 pm and leaving at 3.55 pm. Train number 04614/04613 from Amritsar to Katihar will operate on February 25, March 1 and March 5, arriving at 4.30 pm and departing at 4.40 pm. Train number 04664 from Amritsar to Patna will run on February 27, March 2 and March 5, reaching at 12.10 pm and leaving at 12.20 pm.
