The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sharply criticized the Indian Railways and the central government over last week’s tragic stampede at New Delhi Railway Station, which claimed 18 lives. The court questioned why the Railways continued to sell more tickets than the number of passengers a coach could accommodate, demanding immediate explanations from the authorities.
A division bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyay and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), emphasized the need to enforce Section 147 of the Railways Act, which limits the number of passengers per coach and prescribes penalties for violations. “Show what steps you will take to implement existing laws that limit the number of passengers in coaches and penalize persons entering without authority,” the court stated.
The judges stressed that the tragedy could have been avoided if regulations were followed in “letter and spirit.” Acknowledging that peak rush periods might necessitate minor adjustments, the bench pointed out that enforcing maximum seating capacity appeared to be neglected. “Why did the number of tickets sold exceed the number of berths? That is a problem,” the Chief Justice said.
Under pressure, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Railways, assured the court that the Railway Board would review all aspects of the situation. The court scheduled the next hearing for March 26.
Stampede Triggers Investigation
The stampede, which resulted in the deaths of 11 women and five children, reportedly occurred after around 3,000 tickets were sold within two hours, sources revealed. Many additional tickets were bought online, further worsening the overcrowding on platforms 14 and 15.
The situation escalated after the departure of the Shiv Ganga and Magadh Express trains, both bound for Prayagraj, where the Maha Kumbh is being held. Left stranded, thousands of passengers rushed toward platform 16 upon hearing about a special train to Prayagraj, leading to the deadly stampede.
Railway Ministry Denies Platform Change Caused Stampede
In response to reports suggesting that a last-minute platform change triggered the incident, the Railway Ministry called such claims “wrong and misleading.” The ministry clarified that the Railway Protection Force (RPF) had not conducted an inquiry and that an investigation was being led by a high-level committee under Northern Railway.
The New Delhi Railway Station tragedy follows a similar stampede in Prayagraj that killed 30 people, sparking criticism of the BJP-led government at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh. With mounting pressure, the authorities are now under scrutiny to improve crowd management and enforce safety measures at railway stations across the country.
Sources By Agencies
