Sealdah station’s parking area and digital locker service will remain closed from Panchami to Dashami as the Sealdah Division implements a large-scale crowd-management plan for Durga Puja. The division has also planned 24-hour CCTV surveillance, additional security personnel, holding areas for passengers and emergency medical support at busy stations.
The decisions were taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Sealdah Divisional Railway Manager Rajib Saxena. Senior officials from the state police, Kolkata Traffic Police and Government Railway Police attended the meeting, which focused on passenger movement, safety and security during the festival period.
The railway division said designated holding areas would be created for passengers entering and leaving Sealdah station. Platforms will be managed to ensure separation of passenger flows and reduce the risk of overcrowding. The station’s parking area will remain unavailable throughout the period from Panchami to Dashami, while digital lockers will also be suspended.
Security deployment will include 270 former servicemen, along with additional personnel from the Railway Protection Special Force. Railway Protection Force personnel will be deployed at locations expected to face heavier vehicle pressure, including selected level-crossing gates. Foot overbridges at important locations will also be staffed by RPF personnel, Scouts and Guides, and Civil Defence teams.
The plan extends beyond the station premises. Medical centres and ambulances will be arranged at stations where large passenger gatherings are expected. The entire Sealdah Division has been divided into 11 nodal points based on station clusters to monitor conditions and coordinate responses. A war room will remain operational to oversee the situation across the division.
Passengers and railway staff requiring urgent assistance can contact the Sealdah Division war room at 9147906778. The division has also said that all automatic ticket-vending machines and mobile UTS services will remain operational during the Puja days. Additional ticket-booking counters may be opened depending on passenger demand.
The measures reflect the operational challenge posed by festival travel at one of Kolkata’s busiest railway hubs, where passenger movement, road traffic and access to station facilities must be managed simultaneously. The Sealdah Division’s arrangements will remain in force through Dashami, with crowd monitoring and emergency coordination continuing through the designated nodal points and war room.
