Jammu, Mar 21 (KNS): With a view to ensuring safe and smooth travel for devotees visiting the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine during Chaitra Navratri, the Jammu Division of the Northern Railway conducted a special safety and facilitation drive at Jammu and Katra railway stations on Friday.
The initiative, led by Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Uchit Singhal, involved coordination between the Railway Protection Force (RPF), ticket-checking staff, and volunteers from the Bharat Scouts and Guides, officials said.
Volunteers were deployed on platforms to guide passengers, with special attention given to the elderly, women, and persons with disabilities. They also advised travellers against unsafe practices such as travelling on footboards or boarding moving trains, they added.
In a separate effort, ticket-checking staff carried out intensive checks on trains and platforms to curb ticketless travel, ensuring that passengers in reserved categories did not face inconvenience, officials said.
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Passengers were encouraged to use the ‘RailOne’ mobile application and digital payment methods to avoid long queues at booking counters. Staff assisted travellers in understanding the online booking process, they said.
Public address systems at the stations were used to appeal to passengers to maintain cleanliness and travel only with valid tickets. Help desks were also set up to provide real-time assistance to passengers.
“The volume of passengers increases significantly during Navratri. Our objective is not only to manage revenue but to ensure every devotee undertakes their journey in a safe and dignified manner,” Mr. Singhal said.
He added that the railways were utilising the ‘RailVan’ app and scout volunteers to manage crowds effectively and appealed to passengers to cooperate with safety regulations. (KNS)