Sealdah Div to make Bidhannagar Station vendor-free to ease passenger congestion

Kolkata: To improve commuter safety and ease congestion, Eastern Railway’s Sealdah Division has decided to make Bidhannagar station a vendor-free zone. The move is part of a broader strategy to tackle overcrowding at two of the busiest suburban stations, Bidhannagar and Dum Dum.

All stalls and vendors, including authorised ones, will be removed from the platforms at Bidhannagar to free up pedestrian space and reduce the risk of stampede-like situations during peak hours.

The station currently sees a footfall of approximately 1.7 lakh commuters daily, with over 1 lakh passing through during the morning and evening rush hours.

The decision follows real-time monitoring of crowd density and passenger flow at both Bidhannagar and Dum Dum stations, under the leadership of Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Rajeev Saxena. Railway authorities said these efforts helped identify potential hotspots, prompting the formulation of long-term measures for effective crowd management. As part of the initiative, the Sealdah Division is also planning to commission a new ticket booking office at the second entry gate of Dum Dum station, near the RPF barracks. Dum Dum records a daily footfall of nearly 1.5 lakh passengers and faces similar congestion challenges.

With the upcoming launch of the Orange and Yellow Metro corridors, Dum Dum Cantonment is expected to become a major transit hub. Railway officials stressed the need for proactive cooperation from the state government to improve road connectivity to the station. They expect that this will help divert passenger load from Dum Dum and Bidhannagar, and benefit residents of Salt Lake, Sector V and New Town by providing better connectivity towards Barasat, Bongaon and Hasnabad sections.

Sealdah Division, considered the lifeline of Kolkata’s suburban network, caters to nearly 15-18 lakh passengers daily. It operates 222 and 216 pairs of EMU local trains through Dum Dum and Bidhannagar stations respectively.

In order to avoid overcrowding, the railway will deploy additional staff and security personnel and ensure clear signage and regular announcements through the public address system. Authorities have also urged passengers to refrain from trespassing, which continues to pose a safety risk and hampers punctual train operations.