Delhi stampede: Delays of 15 trains may have contributed to crowd surge at station

The stampede at New Delhi Railway station on February 15 that resulted in 18 deaths and left many injured was caused by a lethal combination of factors.

The causes included passengers being confused about the similarity of train names and the platforms, a pressing urgency to travel to Prayagraj for the once-in-a-lifetime Maha Kumbh Mela and the inability of railway officials to manage the swelling crowds at the station, witnesses said.

The stampede occurred between 9.30 pm and 10 pm on Saturday. Possibly contributing to the enormous crowd were the delays of at least 15 trains between 8.30 pm and 10.30 pm, data from the Indian Railways schedule shows.

As a result, passengers who were supposed to be on these trains had to wait at the station. The late arrival of one train resulted in disembarking passengers adding to the crowds.

Former railway manager Sarabjit Singh suggested that the delays led to trains being bunched together in a short period, causing the overcrowding.

Over three lakh people pass through Delhi station every day, he said. “It increases during the festive season,” said Singh. “The railway authorities do try to follow some precautions during festivals. But the capacity of our stations is not enough to handle the huge footfall.”

Video taken a few…

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