Chaos at New Delhi Railway Stn amid delay in departure of trains

New Delhi: A massive rush of passengers was witnessed at the New Delhi Railway Station (NDLS) on Sunday evening due to delays in multiple long-distance trains, including the Shiv Ganga Express, Swatantrata Senani Express, Jammu Rajdhani Express, Lucknow Mail, and Magadh Express. The congestion at platforms 12 and 13 led to a chaotic situation, prompting authorities to implement emergency crowd management measures.

According to Delhi Police officials, a large number of passengers had gathered at the platforms due to the cumulative effect of these train delays, leading to heavy congestion. Some eyewitnesses compared the situation to the crowd management challenges witnessed during the Mahakumbh arrangements in the past. However, the police later clarified that while there was an unusual rush, no stampede or stampede-like situation had occurred.

“The situation was under control. There was an extra rush due to train delays, but necessary crowd control measures were taken to ensure safety. No injuries were reported,” a senior Delhi Police official said.

Meanwhile, railway officials assured that standard protocols were followed to manage unreserved passengers. The Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of Northern Railway, Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay, stated that there was no such alarming situation at the station. “Senior officials, including the Senior Commandant of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the Station Director of NDLS, were present at the station for better crowd management,” he confirmed.

Following the February 15 stampede, a crowd crush killed at least 18 people and injured 15 others at the New Delhi railway station. It occurred after some passengers began to slip on a footbridge above platforms 14 and 15, causing a crushing pile of people to form in the already overcrowded station. The incident had raised concerns over passenger safety and the handling of unreserved ticket holders during peak hours. In response, authorities have reinforced protocols, including regulated entry through designated holding areas to prevent overcrowding on platforms.

At NDLS, officials emphasized that similar strategies are in place to manage high passenger volumes, especially during delays.

The use of holding areas for unreserved passengers, increased deployment of RPF personnel, and better communication with passengers about train delays are among the key measures being followed.

The situation at NDLS gradually normalized as some of the delayed trains departed. “A few trains have now left, and the rush has eased,” Delhi Police confirmed later.

With the summer travel season approaching, railway authorities are expected to further strengthen their crowd management strategies to prevent incidents of overcrowding and ensure passenger safety.