Stampede calls for effective crowd management

The stampede that claimed 18 lives at the New Delhi railway station, one of the busiest railway hubs in the country, has put the spotlight on the station’s continued struggle with poor crowd management, leading to daily chaos for thousands of passengers, especially during the peak hours or festive seasons.

Despite being a vital junction connecting various parts of the country, the station continues to grapple with severe overcrowding, disorganised queues and a lack of effective crowd regulation — making travel an exhausting and often dangerous experience.

On the ill-fated evening, between 6 pm and 8 pm, nearly 10,000 people purchased unreserved tickets — approximately 2,500 more than usual. This surge, driven by an influx of Kumbh devotees, led to an overwhelming rush on just two platforms, culminating in the catastrophic stampede.

The New Delhi railway station remains a crucial transportation hub, but its ongoing crowd management issues call for urgent reforms. Without immediate action, passengers will continue to endure discomfort, delays and safety risks, highlighting the need for authorities to prioritise passenger convenience and security.

Ticket booking counters and inquiry desks at the station are frequently swamped with passengers, resulting in long queues. There are some digital and automated machines for getting platform tickets, but at times even these are found “non-functional”, further exacerbating the problem.

The station has 16 platforms, with entrances at Paharganj (Platform 1) and Ajmeri Gate (Platform 16), connected by an overbridge that is perpetually crowded with hurried commuters. Several passengers, in a rush to catch trains, end up pushing and shoving, exacerbating the already precarious situation.

After closely observing the frenzied movement of people on the overbridge, one may wonder — why is everyone always late?

The answer to the people’s haste probably lies in their delayed entry to the station, especially from the Paharganj side which is clogged with traffic at all times. A number of people have shared their ordeal while traversing through those choked lanes to reach the railway station.

Most of the time, cab drivers are forced to request their passengers to deboard nearly 1 km before the railway station in a bid to catch their train on time as the taxi may take more time to reach the destination.

The situation from the Ajmeri Gate side is no different. The pick-and-drop lane meant to either pick someone or drop them within 8 minutes is another ordeal journey. After gaining entry to the station from this lane, a driver fails to leave the stretch within the stipulated time following which they are charged more.

Beyond injuries and casualties, Saturday’s stampede caused widespread emotional distress, with families getting separated amidst the chaos.

Many frantically searched hospitals with photographs in hand, lodging multiple complaints with the police regarding missing relatives. However, a senior police official told The Tribune that the authorities successfully resolved all reported cases of missing persons related to the tragedy.