A large number of passengers gathered at platforms 12 and 13 of New Delhi Railway Station (NDLS) on Sunday evening due to delays in the departure of several major trains.
Delayed Trains & Congestion
The affected trains included:
- Shiv Ganga Express (Scheduled: 8:05 PM | Departed: 9:20 PM)
- Swatantrata Senani Express (Scheduled: 9:15 PM | Platform already occupied)
- Jammu Rajdhani Express (Scheduled: 9:25 PM | Delayed)
- Lucknow Mail (Scheduled: 10:00 PM | Running late)
- Magadh Express (Scheduled: 9:05 PM | No platform allotted)
The cumulative delays led to heavy passenger congestion, creating a stampede-like atmosphere, according to a statement by the Delhi Police. However, they assured that no injuries were reported, and necessary crowd control measures were implemented to avoid any mishap.
Officials’ Response
CPRO of Northern Railway, Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay, attributed the congestion to the extra rush on Sundays, particularly during peak evening hours. He stated that:
- Extra crowd control measures were enforced.
- CCTV monitoring was ongoing.
- The situation had returned to normal after intervention.
The Ministry of Railways clarified that while there was heavy rush, there was no stampede or stampede-like situation. The standard protocol of guiding unreserved passengers through a holding area was followed.
Senior Officials Monitoring the Situation
Key officials, including the Senior Commandant of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the Station Director of NDLS, were present at the station to ensure better crowd management.