Surat. Following the stampede and chaos at Udhna railway station last Sunday, the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCCI) has entered action mode.
On Monday, April 20, 2026, a delegation from the chamber's railway committee met with Western Railway's General Manager Ramashray Pandey at Udhna station and presented a detailed plan to ensure the safe travel of migrants. In addition to Udhna, the chamber's president Nikhil Madarasi mentioned the option of Bhestan-Chalthan, noting that currently most holiday special trains are only being operated from Udhna station, leading to unbearable pressure on passengers there. To address this issue, the chamber proposed alternative stations to the railway.
It suggested that trains should also be started from Surat, Bhestan, and Chalthan railway stations to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, and Madhya Pradesh. Considering the increasing crowd in April and May, a sufficient number of new holiday special trains should be put on track. The chamber informed the railway administration that around 500,000 migrant workers are employed in Surat's industry.
During school holidays, when these workers return home with their families, the situation at the stations becomes dire. There is a need for solid and proactive planning to prevent the ongoing chaos at Udhna station over the past two years. General Manager Ramashray Pandey listened seriously to the chamber's proposals and assured that new trains would be operated.
However, he also made an important suggestion that the railway is monitoring the number of passengers and will arrange for additional trains. But, to manage the crowd, industrial unit owners must also cooperate by encouraging workers to travel on other days of the week instead of just Sunday, to avoid heavy crowds accumulating at the station on a single day.
The meeting was attended by railway committee chairman Rakesh Shah, secretary Paulik Desai, and other members. The chamber assured that they would coordinate with industrial units to distribute the travel load throughout the week and prevent unpleasant incidents at Udhna railway station.
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