Jam-packed platforms of the New Delhi railway station may soon be a thing of the past. If things shape up according to plans, constructions will be taken up in an area of 10,000 sq metres to create facilities especially for thousands of passengers and visitors who have to wait at the platforms for hours for trains to arrive.

This waiting area will be build over the two footover bridges (FOBs) connecting Ajmeri Gate and Paharganj. A concrete floor will be laid between the two FOBs and will be covered with a roof. The area will have the capacity to easily shelter 15,000 people.

The proposed waiting area will have benches, food stalls, water booths and other facilities. The stalls and makeshift shops will be shifted from the platforms to this area. Additional lifts and escalators will be provided. People can straight away walk from Ajmeri Gate and Paharganj to this waiting area and from there they can directly go to the respective platforms just before train is scheduled to arrive.

The project estimated to cost between Rs 90 crore and Rs 99 crore will help decongest the platforms. This in turn will help avoid chaos which occurs at the time of arrival or departure of trains.

The Delhi division of the Northern Railways has submitted a proposal to the headquarters. The officials are expecting the approval in March budget.