To reduce overcrowding on trains in India, several policy and infrastructure changes have been proposed and implemented:

Policy Changes Access Control and Ticket Verification: Indian Railways has introduced policies allowing only passengers with confirmed tickets to enter platforms at 60 major stations. This prevents overcrowding on platforms and ensures that only ready-to-board passengers access trains ���.

Holding Areas for Crowd Management

Permanent holding areas outside key stations have been established to regulate passenger flow by allowing entry to platforms only close to train departure times. Passengers with waitlisted or unconfirmed tickets must wait in these zones, reducing platform congestion ���.

Capping Waiting Lists: A cap of 25% on waiting list tickets ensures better clarity for passengers and reduces the number of uncertain travelers boarding trains, limiting overcrowding in reserved coaches �.

Temporary Ticket Sale Pauses: Station managers can temporarily halt ticket sales if crowd levels at stations or on trains become unsafe, thereby controlling passenger numbers effectively during peak times �.

Infrastructure Changes Wider Foot Over Bridges (FOBs): Upgraded foot-over bridges (6 to 12 meters wide) at stations improve movement and prevent bottlenecks, ensuring smooth flow of passengers across platforms and exits ���.

Increased Train Frequency and New Trains: Plans to run more trains and introduce trains with better design to accommodate more passengers comfortably, especially on suburban and high-demand routes �.

Permanent Holding Zones: Construction of waiting zones outside station premises helps manage passenger batches and reduce platform crowding during peak and festival travel ��.

Real-Time Monitoring and Staff Deployment: Installation of extensive CCTV coverage and deployment of staff in identifiable uniforms for crowd monitoring and rapid response prevent overcrowding and stampede risks ��.

Station Directors with Emergency Powers: Empowered station officials have the authority to make real-time decisions like ticket sale pauses and crowd control actions, improving responsiveness �.

Summary

Reducing train overcrowding in India requires a combined approach of stringent ticket-based platform access policies, controlled passenger flow through holding areas, limiting uncertain travel via waiting list caps, and infrastructure upgrades fostering safer and more organized boarding experiences. Increasing train frequencies and modernizing stations complement these measures, enhancing overall passenger safety and comfort ����.

These efforts aim to transform crowded Indian railway stations and trains into safer, more efficient environments for millions of daily travelers.