Railways says no to platform tickets this festive season

New Delhi: Senior citizens and handicapped travellers will no longer be allowed to have someone see them off at the New Delhi Railway Station.

It’s a new measure adopted by the railways to manage the scores of people thronging railway stations this festive season.

An empty railway station is something one can only dream about. And there are just two words to describe the New Delhi Railway station these days —jam packed.

With everyone heading home to celebrate Diwali and Chhat Pooj in true Indian style, the families are also on the platform to see them off.

The scene might be different this year. No platform tickets will be sold between the 7th and the 15th of November.

Per day close to 65,000 platform tickets are sold at a railway station. And with the upcoming festive season, this number is likely to skyrocket and this is what the railways is trying to put the brakes upon.

What remains to be seen is whether this new measure will be a success or a failure, leaving the station even more chaotic than it already is.

This decision of the railways is a cause of concern for women travelling with little children and senior citizens travelling alone with loads of luggage. Without having their families at the platform, they will be left alone to fend for themselves and haggle with the coolies.

Many feel that it is indeed a bad idea.

A passenger, Bhimrao Jha, says about a family member, “He can’t walk. Someone has to support him to move him from one place to another. You will need to allow at least one person to help him out.”

The railways claim that their volunteers will be there to provide assistance and special permission can be granted for special cases.

Another passenger, Varun says, “It is not going to help in the sense that nobody's going to ask for that special facility simply because there will be a crowd. There will be a lot of hassle there.”

However, expect some speed breakers before you embark on your trip. Travel light and have time on your hands. After all you don’t want to start your festivities on a sour note.