On Sunday night, a chaotic scene unfolded at New Delhi Railway Station as a number of trains experienced delays. As a result, a large crowd gathered on platforms 12 and 13. Thankfully, there were no reports of damage.
For instance, the Shiva Ganga Express was scheduled to depart at 8:05 PM but didn't leave until 9:20 PM. Similarly, the Swatantrata Senani Express had a scheduled departure at 9:15 PM but was already on the platform. The Jammu Rajdhani Express, meant to leave at 9:25 PM, was also delayed. Additionally, the Lucknow Mail was supposed to depart at 10:00 PM and was running late. The Magadh Express, with a scheduled departure at 9:05 PM, was not even assigned a platform.
The delays caused passengers to crowd the platform, so much so, it seemed reminiscent of the chaotic scenes seen during the Kumbh Mela. However, the railway administration promptly took necessary measures to control the crowd and prevent any untoward incidents.
Source: aajtak
Ministry of Railways Issues Statement
The Ministry of Railways issued a statement acknowledging the heavy crowd at New Delhi Railway Station but clarified that there was no stampede or dangerous situation. Protocols for moving unreserved passengers from the holding area were in use.
No Reports of Stampede or Injuries
The Deputy Commissioner of Police (Railways) noted the additional crowd was due to train delays. Fortunately, with some trains having departed, the situation has improved, and there are no reports of a stampede or injuries.
Incident of Stampede in February
It is important to note that on February 15, a stampede at the station had tragically claimed the lives of 18 passengers. Following the incident, the railway administration dismissed five officials from their posts on March 4. Two of these officials, Mahesh Yadav and Anand Mohan, have since been reassigned to new positions at the Northern Railway Headquarters.
According to railway sources, a high-level investigation is underway to identify those responsible for the February 15 incident. A senior railway official stated that negligence by certain officers would not merely be addressed through transfers, but strict action would be taken based on the findings of the investigation report.
