RailEnquiry

The Railway Protection Force (RPF) has put forward a proposal to restrict the number of platform tickets being issued during the peak hours at the railway stations in the state.

The initial plan will be implemented in the Thiruvananthapuram division in the state.

According to top officialsof the RPF, the initiative is part of the safety measures as the number of trains and passengers have increased in the past few years.

The RPF officials are hopeful that the system will come in handy if it is implemented during the Sabarimala pilgrimage season.

“Heavy crowds are witnessed at the railway stations, especially during the arrival and the departure of trains to north and north east India.

Once the proposal is accepted, strict measures will be taken to regulate the flow of people especially when Shalimar Express, Guwahati Express and Dhanbad Express arrive and depart from the railway stations.

“A large crowd arrives at the railway stations to see off their friends and relatives.

Whenever the trains are bound for the north east, there is a large crowd thronging the platform. This can lead to a possible security threat,” said the RPF official.

As per the proposal, the Railway authorities have been asked to issue orders to the clerks at the ticket counters to stop issuing tickets an hour prior to the departure of the train.

However, the Railway sources at Thiruvananthapuram said that the procedure cannot be implemented as it will affect the Government’s policy.

“Usually, such a system of curbing the platform ticket sale takes place whenever a national security threat is alerted. Also, we have received the instructions for days like November 26 commemorating the Mumbai terror attack. The move may not come into effect,” he said.

A curb in this regard can be highly discriminatory with respect to the north-east bound trains, he noted.

Also, the Railways may not accept the proposal as they receive a good revenue from issuing platform tickets costing `5 each