Indian Railways: Central Railway has imposed a temporary ban on the sale of platform tickets at certain major stations due to the year-end rush. From December 29, platform tickets will be unavailable at 14 key railway stations. This prohibition has been enforced on 13 stations in Maharashtra and one in Karnataka. The prohibition on the sale of platform tickets at these stations will continue until January 2, 2025.
Some major stations also under the decision
As per a press statement released by Central Railway, ticket sales will be prohibited at stations including Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Dadar, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, Kalyan, and Panvel stations in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Additional stations are Pune, Nagpur, Nasik Road, Bhusaval, Akola, Solapur, Latur in Maharashtra, along with Kalaburgi in Karnataka.
The Central Railway announced in a statement that senior citizens, ill individuals, children, uneducated individuals, and female travelers are exempted. Worried about the stampede at Bandra Terminus station in October, railway authorities continue to implement measures such as limiting platform ticket sales to prevent overcrowding at key railway stations. On October 27, ten passengers were hurt while attempting to board an unreserved train going to North India because of the large crowd at Bandra station of Western Railway in Mumbai.
Timetable upgradation
If you intend to journey by train in the upcoming year, then this information is relevant for you. Indian Railways will modify the railway train timetable starting January 1, 2025. The new schedule will take effect following midnight on December 31, 2024. Last year, Indian Railways launched the All India Railway Time Table Train at a Glance, which became effective on October 1. It is also accessible on the official Train at a Glance website.
In 2025, the Ministry of Railways intends to add all 136 Vande Bharat Express trains, 2 Amrit Bharat Express trains, and Namo Bharat Rapid Rail to the schedule.
Last year, 64 Vande Bharat trains and 70 extra services were launched to enhance passenger comfort and improve train efficiency. Typically, the Ministry of Railways publishes the Train at a Glance (TAG) timetable prior to June 30 each year. The updated schedule will take effect starting July 1. Nonetheless, the standards were updated this year.