New Delhi [India], October 30 : The Indian Railways is developing dedicated passenger holding areas, known as Yatri Suvidha Kendras, at major railway stations across the country to streamline passenger movement and ease congestion during periods of heavy footfall, including the festive season.
The Yatri Suvidha Kendras (Passenger Holding Areas) are being developed to provide dedicated space for unticketed and waiting passengers, helping decongest station platforms, circulating areas and station approaches during peak passenger movement. The facilities are designed to ensure orderly passenger movement and provide a comfortable waiting environment before passengers enter the station/platform area.
The holding areas are designed to accommodate passengers before they proceed to the platform area. By providing designated spaces for waiting and ticketing, they aim to reduce congestion on platforms, in circulating areas and at station approaches.  
Udhna railway station in Gujarat is an important example of a station having a modern passenger holding area. The Udhna Holding Area is especially beneficial for migrant passengers travelling to their hometowns across different parts of the country during the festive season. 

The holding area at Udhna has a 6,500-square-metre pre-ticketing and ticketing block and a 3,600-square-metre post-ticketing block. Together, the two blocks cover an area of 10,100 square metres. 
The facility has been equipped with 10 ticket counters, 120 seats, 55 CCTV cameras, six electronic train display boards, a public announcement system and Wi-Fi connectivity.
Other passenger amenities include 32 high-volume, low-speed (HVLS) fans, an RO drinking water plant, four water coolers, separate male and female toilet facilities, a Divyangjan toilet and a baby feeding room.
A 'May I Help You' booth and appropriate passenger signage have also been provided. 
The CCTV network includes video analytics and facial recognition facilities, along with PTZ cameras, to support surveillance and passenger management.
At Anand Vihar Terminal, the Yatri Suvidha Kendra has 14 ticket counters, 16 CCTV cameras, four electronic display boards and seating for 20 passengers. 

The facility also has separate toilet facilities for male and female passengers, a Divyangjan toilet, an RO plant, 11 HVLS fans and a public announcement system.
At Ayodhya Dham, the passenger holding facility has five ticket counters, 17 CCTV cameras, an electronic display board and seating for 20 passengers.

Amenities include separate toilets for male and female passengers, a Divyangjan toilet, a baby care room, a 'May I Help You' booth and a public announcement system with 44 speakers.
The Haridwar holding area features CNC-cut temple motifs on aluminium sheets, layered over polycarbonate panels, reflecting the city’s religious and cultural identity through its architectural design. Haridwar’s Yatri Suvidha Kendra has 20 ticket counters, 25 CCTV cameras and three electronic display boards. It also provides separate toilet facilities for male and female passengers, a Divyangjan toilet, seating for 21 passengers, 21 HVLS fans, Wi-Fi connectivity and an RO drinking water plant.
The proposed passenger holding area at Ujjain will reflect the city’s religious and cultural identity through its architectural design. CNC-cut aluminium motifs depicting prominent temples and the Kshipra River will be layered over polycarbonate panels. The design features references to Mahakaleshwar, Kal Bhairav, Harsiddhi, Chintaman Ganesh and other local landmarks. At the construction site, all 28 foundations and around 235 MT of structural steel fabrication have been completed, with erection of columns and rafters also completed.

At Bhopal, passenger holding area works are being undertaken on both the PF-1 and PF-6 sides. On the PF-6 side, all 25 foundations, structural steel fabrication and erection have been completed, along with roofing over the 1,760-square-metre area. On the PF-1 side, all 21 foundations and around 80 MT of structural steel fabrication have been completed.
At Nashik Road, site-clearance and utility-shifting works have been completed, along with all 43 foundations and the 562-metre plinth beam. Grade slab work has also been completed over 3,000 square metres.
At Sabarmati, site preparation has progressed with the shifting of 14 staff quarters and the contractor’s labour camp, along with completion of utility-shifting works. All 79 foundations for the proposed holding area have been completed. As part of site development, 17 trees have also been transplanted to new locations.
At Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra, removal of obstructing cables and shifting of utilities have been completed. Work on 40 of the 41 foundations has been completed.
At Sehore, site preparation, including tree-clearing, shifting of the existing office and removal of materials, has been completed. All 36 foundations and fabrication of 158 MT of structural steel have also been completed.
At Bandra Terminus, preparatory works for the passenger holding area have progressed with the removal of approximately 4,170 stacked sleepers, shifting of the construction unit’s fabrication yard and relocation of the existing vehicle parking area.
Through designated holding areas, ticketing facilities and passenger amenities, Indian Railways is working to organise passenger movement and manage congestion at stations witnessing heavy footfall, particularly during peak travel periods.