Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday reprimanded the Centre and Indian Railways over the stampede at the New Delhi Railway Station, which resulted in 18 deaths, including 11 women and five children. The court sought answers on why more tickets were sold than the number of passengers a train coach could accommodate.
A division bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyay and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela questioned the Railways’ failure to enforce existing laws, particularly Section 147 of the Railways Act, which limits the number of passengers per coachand prescribes a six-month jail term or a ₹1,000 fine for violations.
“Why did the number of tickets sold exceed the number of available berths? That is a serious problem,” the court observed sternly.
Court Directs Railways to Implement Passenger Limits
The High Court demanded a detailed response from the Centre and the Railway Board, instructing them to outline measures to prevent future incidents.
“If you implement this law effectively, in letter and spirit, the tragic stampede could have been avoided,” the Chief Justice remarked.
While acknowledging that passenger limits could be slightly relaxed on rush days, the court stressed that the Railways had clearly neglected its duty.
Under pressure, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing on behalf of the Railways, assured the court that a review of the situation was underway. The court fixed March 26 as the next hearing date.
New Delhi Railway Station Stampede: What Happened?
The stampede occurred last week at New Delhi Railway Station (NDLS) due to severe overcrowding. Sources revealed that around 3,000 tickets were sold in two hours, far exceeding the station’s capacity. Additionally, many tickets were booked online, further escalating congestion on platforms 14 and 15.
The crisis worsened when two major trains, the Shiv Ganga Express and Magadh Express, both bound for Prayagraj (site of the Maha Kumbh), departed, leaving thousands of passengers stranded. The situation turned chaotic after rumors spread that a special train to Prayagraj was leaving from platform 16, triggering a massive rush and leading to the fatal stampede.
Railway Ministry Denies Mismanagement Claims
While several reports blamed a last-minute platform change for the stampede, the Railway Ministry dismissed these claims as “misleading”. The ministry also clarified that the Railway Protection Force (RPF) did not conduct an inquiry and that the investigation is being handled by a high-level committee set up by Northern Railway.
Political Fallout Over Rail Tragedies
The Delhi Railway Station stampede occurred just days after a similar tragedy in Prayagraj, where 30 people were killed. These back-to-back incidents have led to sharp criticism from opposition parties, who have accused the BJP-led central and Uttar Pradesh governments of mismanaging public transport and failing to ensure passenger safety.
