The Central Railway’s Nagpur division has restructured its ticketing operations at Nagpur railway station to manage the surge in travel demand during the Diwali festival season. Two of the existing reservation counters have been converted into “semi-general” counters, a move intended to streamline services for passengers buying unreserved and short-distance tickets. This adjustment, made in response to increased commuter traffic in the general class segment, aims to ease overcrowding in unreserved queues, which typically swell during the festive rush when trains operate at full capacity. However, the change has drawn criticism from passengers who depend on the reservation system, particularly senior citizens and long-distance travelers. The reduction in full-time reservation counters has reportedly led to longer waiting times and overcrowding in the remaining booking section. Commuter associations have voiced concerns that the decision, while temporarily beneficial for short-distance travelers, undermines the convenience of those planning long-distance journeys during one of the busiest travel periods of the year. Many regular passengers have urged the authorities to either extend working hours or add additional temporary counters to handle the spike in festive demand efficiently. According to sources in the Nagpur railway division, the “semi-general” counters will remain functional through the peak festive period and will be reviewed for performance after the holidays. Officials stated that this is part of a flexible service model that can be adjusted based on passenger flow and seasonal requirements. Meanwhile, the Railway Passenger Welfare Committee has requested the division to ensure better queue management and separate facilities for the elderly and disabled passengers to prevent inconvenience during high-traffic hours. #NagpurRailwayStation #CentralRailway #FestivalRush #RailwayPassengers
