New Delhi railway station decked up with festive lights for Diwali

New Delhi [India], October 20 (ANI): On the occasion of Diwali, colourful decorative lights illuminated the New Delhi railway station on Monday.
The station greeted travellers with a refreshed look and improved facilities for the festive season.
Polished floors, digital signboards, clean washrooms, and automatic ticket vending machines have replaced the long queues once familiar to passengers.
With upgraded facilities, including online ticket vending machines and passenger-friendly helpdesks, the new add-on section at New Delhi Railway Station is prepared to handle both reserved and unreserved travellers with ease.
This is the new scene at the newly constructed 6,000-sq-meter Yatri Suvidha Kendra, inaugurated on October 11, located alongside the New Delhi Railway Station.
This permanent holding area, designed to accommodate nearly 7,000 passengers at a time, plays a crucial role in managing the rush during India's busiest festive season.It offers pre-boarding comfort and efficient crowd management, ensuring a smooth travel experience for all passengers.
Yatri Suvidha Kendra has three zones - Pre-ticketing (2,860 sqm), Ticketing (1,150 sqm), and Departure (1,218 sqm). There are benches for passengers as they wait for their trains, and none of them have reserved seats or berths. Bonus point: Waiting at Yatri Suvidha Kendra is absolutely free of cost.
The ticketing zone houses 22 modern counters and 25 Automatic Ticket Vending Machines (ATVMs), reducing queues and wait times. For comfort, the area provides seating for about 200 passengers, supported by 18 High-Volume Low-Speed (HVLS) fans that maintain efficient airflow.
Passenger welfare has been prioritised through clean and spacious sanitation facilities built over 652 sq m, alongside an RO-based drinking water system.
For communication and guidance, the Kendra is equipped with a public announcement system featuring 24 speakers, and three LED information displays providing real-time train updates. Safety infrastructure includes fire-fighting units, CCTV coverage, luggage scanners, and metal detectors, ensuring both security and confidence for travellers.
The need for this facility is clearly evident among travellers using the permanent holding area. (ANI)