Tue, 27 Oct, 2026, 05:52 am
Reported by The Indian Express
Top Western Railway officials camped in Surat's Udhna railway station on the weekend to test the new systems in place as the first lot of around 11,000 migrants headed to their home states on six trains for Diwali and Chhath puja festivities. In October, the railway authorities inaugurated a Yatri Seva Kendra — an expanded passenger holding area — at Udhna Railway Station from where trains head to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha, home to the textile workforce of the city.
Western Railway sources told The Indian Express that a special 'war room' has been established under the direct supervision of senior officials to monitor the crowd in real time. Approximately 70 high-definition CCTV cameras have been installed across the premises.
Digital display screens provide train updates, and a passenger announcement system—comprising around 150 speakers—ensures clear communication. To prevent long queues, 10 additional ticket windows have been opened, including a dedicated counter for passengers with disabilities.
Following the war in West Asia that triggered an LPG crisis, the Udhna Railway station had witnessed a surge of migrants rushing back home, with a single day in April witnessing over 22,000 passengers breaking police barricades set up at the station to catch trains.
