Will the New Yatri Suvidha Kendra at NDLS Enhance Passenger Experience During Festival Rush?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Yatri Suvidha Kendra enhances passenger comfort during the festival rush.
- Designed for 7,000 passengers at a time.
- Features modern amenities like ticketing counters and ATVMs.
- Improves connectivity with Metro Station.
- Recognizes the efforts of railway staff through bonus initiatives.
New Delhi, Oct 11 (NationPress) The cutting-edge Yatri Suvidha Kendra at New Delhi Railway Station (NDLS) aims to provide enhanced comfort to travelers during the busy festival season, as highlighted by Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday.
He toured the newly-built permanent holding area, designed to host approximately 7,000 passengers at once, improving pre-boarding comfort and flow.
The Yatri Suvidha Kendra is efficiently organized into three distinct zones to facilitate passenger movement: a ticketing area of 2,860 sqm, a post-ticketing area of 1,150 sqm, and a pre-ticketing area of 1,218 sqm.
This layout aims to minimize congestion and enhance comfort at the terminal’s main entrance.
As per the ministry's announcement, the Northern Railway has outfitted the Kendra with a range of modern amenities to ensure passenger convenience and safety.
The facility features 22 modern ticketing counters and 25 Automatic Ticket Vending Machines (ATVMs), along with seating for 200 passengers and 18 high volume low speed (HVLS) fans for optimal cooling.
The Northern Railway overcame numerous complex challenges during construction, including the necessary demolition and relocation of existing structures such as ATMs, a Delhi Police cabin, and hoarding boards.
Additionally, vital utilities like water lines, drainage systems, and OFC cables were carefully relocated without disrupting daily operations.
In tandem, a significant infrastructure upgrade was completed with the extension of Foot Over Bridge 1 (FOB 1), as reported by the ministry.
This extension allows passengers disembarking from trains at NDLS to directly access the Metro Station, significantly boosting multimodal connectivity and alleviating platform congestion.
Recently, in a push for the festive season, the Union Cabinet sanctioned a Productivity Linked Bonus (PLB) amounting to Rs 1,866 crore for railway employees, benefiting over 10.90 lakh staff nationwide.
Vaishnaw stated that the bonus, equivalent to 78 days of wages, acknowledges the devoted efforts of railway staff in ensuring smooth operations and enhancing efficiency.