 "Massive crowd overwhelms New Delhi Railway Station again a day after stampede that killed 18")
New Delhi Railway Station reportedly remained overcrowded on Sunday (February 16), a day after a deadly stampede here resulted in the death of at least 18 people. People could be seen struggling to board trains amid heavy rush.
Thousands descended upon the railway station in bid to reach Prayagraj, where the world’s largest religious gathering, Maha Kumbh, is currently underway.
Although authorities had put additional measures in place to prevent another stampede-like situation at the station, sheer size of the crowd seemed to have taken a toll on the administration.
From platforms to foot-over bridges and staircases, massive crowd could be seen everywhere.
Some people also seemed unaware of special train schedules, leading to confusion. Long queues before water stalls added to the chaos, while passengers carrying heavy luggage struggled to navigate through the surging crowds.
The Saturday’s stampede occurred at around 10 pm when a surge of passengers, confused by a mix-up in train announcements, rushed towards platform 16 via a narrow stairway.
Trapped between those trying to move up and others trying to descend, the crowd turned into a human bottleneck. Within minutes, panic spread, and people began falling, leading to a horrifying crush.
Yet, the congestion remained largely unchanged several hours later, with thousands still jostling for space on platforms and foot-over bridges.
“Even after what happened on Saturday, the situation is the same. We are trying our best, but the number of people is too high,” said an RPF officer stationed at platform 16.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsRailway Protection Force (RPF) personnel were closely monitoring the situation, looking inside trains through windows to assist passengers and using small microphones to give instructions. They were seen urging travellers to wait for the next special train to Triveni Sangam, where the world’s largest gathering, Maha Kumbh, is taking place.
Senior RPF officials, including DCP (Railways) K P S Malhotra and Special CP Robin Hibu, kept inspecting crowd management on platforms 14, 15, and 16 at regular intervals.
Delhi Police officials were also present to assist in controlling the massive rush.
With general tickets being issued at an estimated rate of 1,500 per hour, the passenger surge continued to strain resources.
Prayagraj special trains are departing at more than double their capacity, with people clinging to doors, stuffing themselves into packed compartments, and even climbing through train windows in desperation.
In the New Delhi-Bihar Sampark Kranti Express, which does not even travel to Prayagraj, the rush was so intense that passengers pushed and shoved their way into the train. RPF personnel had to physically close doors to prevent further overcrowding.
In a distressing incident, a girl aged around 15 years was seen crying inside the overcrowded train due to suffocation, while her mother, who couldn’t board the train due to the rush wept helplessly.
“Don’t worry, you will reach safely,” she said, trying to reassure her child as the packed train departed, leaving many families separated.
“The number of people inside the train was so high that no one could even move. If anything had gone wrong inside, it would have been impossible to get out,” said a stranded passenger.
Additional RPF personnel were deployed, and senior officials making regular rounds of the station to monitor the situation. The foot-over bridge and staircase, where Saturday’s disaster unfolded, remained crowded as pilgrims rushed towards their trains.
Railway officials acknowledged that the passenger surge is overwhelming but said efforts are being made to manage the situation.
The rush to Prayagraj is expected to continue for days, making crowd control a constant challenge. The ongoing Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj will continue till February 26.
“We are working at full capacity, but managing such a large number of passengers is not easy,” said an RPF official.
Meanwhile, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has ordered a high-level inquiry into the stampede and announced additional special trains to manage the rush.
Two senior officials have been appointed to investigate the causes of the stampede, but on the ground, the crowd remains difficult to manage.
(With inputs from PTI)
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