Platform change info can’t be given last-minute

Ahilyanagar station

A nightmare scenario unfolded at Ahilyanagar station recently, when passengers were awaiting a late-night train to Mumbai. The train takes around seven hours to reach the city.

Crowds were awaiting the train's arrival, when approximately seven minutes prior to scheduled arrival there was an announcement of a platform change. Panic ensued as this was a small time window and the crowd surge towards the bridge to cross over to the other platform where it was announced that the train would be arriving and depart in just a few minutes.

The escalator started functioning going up, as our report stated but not descending. Passengers were juggling baggage, some were with kids, and seniors were having a hard time. The situation was dire with a passenger saying that somebody could have collapsed from the stress or resulted in some kind of stampede.

Platform change announcements across have to be made at least 30 minutes in advance. The announcement system itself has to be of the highest quality. If possible, any train needs to wait at least 10 minutes more than its scheduled wait time if a platform change has been announced as passengers may still be struggling to get to the other platform and find their bogey.

Railway staffers on the platform need to have absolute clarity beforehand so that commuters/passengers can be informed correctly. Confusion and misinformation creates panic and pandemonium. We need calm, cool, composed, in control clear minds and action for crowd management. We need measures, the most vital being advance information.