In preparation for the expected surge of travelers heading home for Diwali and Chhath Puja, Northern Railways has announced that platform tickets will not be sold at several key Delhi railway stations—including New Delhi, Old Delhi, Hazrat Nizamuddin, Anand Vihar, and Delhi Sarai Rohilla—until November 6. Ghaziabad Junction will also halt platform ticket sales during this period. However, individuals assisting elderly, illiterate, or women passengers needing support will be allowed access, according to Northern Railways.

This temporary measure follows an incident at Mumbai’s Bandra Terminus, where a stampede injured 10 people on Sunday as crowds attempted to board an unreserved Gorakhpur-bound train.

To further manage anticipated crowds, Northern Railways has implemented specific control measures at New Delhi and Anand Vihar railway stations through November 7. These stations have designated holding areas—with the Ajmeri Gate side of New Delhi station and the circulating area of Anand Vihar station offering added facilities like extra ticket counters, Automatic Ticket Vending Machines (ATVMs), enquiry desks, 'May I Help You' assistance, food stalls, drinking water, and mobile toilets to ensure passenger convenience.

Additionally, Northern Railways has temporarily restricted direct access from the Delhi Metro skywalk to the footbridge linking these stations to better manage the crowd flow. Certain trains, including Bihar Sampark Kranti (12566), Sampoorna Kranti (12394), Vaishali Express (12554), and Purshottam Express (12802), have been reassigned to specific platforms to ease congestion.

Northern Railways has advised passengers to arrive at least an hour ahead of departure to help prevent delays. Signage will guide travelers, with assistance available at the ‘May I Help You’ desks and from on-site railway staff. "We appreciate passenger cooperation and urge them to follow these temporary arrangements to ensure smooth travel," the statement read.