Rly passenger footfalls peaked this festive season

Mysuru: Between October 3 and October 14 — the Dasara festival season — railway stations across the city registered a footfall of over a million passengers. Mysuru railway station alone witnessed a footfall of over 9.2 lakh passengers, with a peak of 1.2 lakh passengers on a single day (Vijayadashami on October 12).

According to SWR officials, the passenger traffic was managed by meticulous planning, innovative solutions, and enhanced coordination across departments. According to data, Mysuru station not only saw record-breaking footfalls, but also a significant increase in originating earnings. In comparison to last year's 8.2 lakh passengers and earnings of Rs 6.6 crore, this year the station recorded Rs 7.4 crore in earnings during the Dasara period.

The latest edition of Dasara festival saw the introduction of seven special trains to cater to the heightened demand. Special services were operated between Mysuru and Bengaluru, Chamarajanagar, Hubballi, Karwar, and Arasikere from October 1 to 13.

According to divisional railway manager (DRM) Shilpi Agarwal, elaborate arrangements were made to ensure hassle-free travel for passengers during Dasara. "Additional CCTV cameras (73 in all) were installed at the Mysuru station after a thorough survey. RPF personnel monitored the cameras, ensuring swift response to incidents," she said, adding: "Comprehensive arrangements ensured seamless operations and enhanced passenger experience throughout the festive period."

Additional signage boards were installed across platforms, providing clear and precise directions to key locations such as foot over bridges (FoBs), escalators, restrooms, and platform areas. These signboards were strategically placed to minimise crowding at critical junctures, making it easier for passengers to move around the station.

"Apart from this, the Mysuru division launched the mobile unreserved ticketing system (MUTS) as a pilot project during the festival. Two MUTS were operational, providing passengers with a hassle-free, contactless option for purchasing unreserved tickets, which reduced congestion at booking counters," the DRM said, adding that MUTS can prove a game-changer in future.