Two days after a stampede at New Delhi railway station claimed at least 18 lives, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court, seeking measures to prevent similar tragedies.
The petition, filed by advocate Vishal Tiwari, highlights recent stampedes, including the Prayagraj Maha Kumbh incident on January 29 and a religious gathering in Hathras in 2024.
It urges the Supreme Court to direct the Centre and states to collaborate by forming an expert committee to draft guidelines and preventive measures for crowd management. The plea also calls for the implementation of the National Disaster Management Authority’s 2014 report, Managing Crowd at Events and Venues of Mass Gathering.
The petition emphasizes the urgent need for better crowd control strategies at major transport hubs like New Delhi railway station. It suggests infrastructure improvements, such as wider corridors, expanded foot overbridges and platforms, and better accessibility through ramps and escalators, particularly during peak travel hours.
Additionally, the plea recommends avoiding last-minute platform changes to prevent confusion and panic. It also suggests that ticket sales should be regulated to ensure that the number of passengers does not exceed the station’s capacity.
The stampede, which occurred overnight, was triggered by confusion over platform announcements for two similarly named trains bound for Prayagraj. The chaos escalated when passengers slipped while descending a foot overbridge amid an overwhelming rush of Maha Kumbh devotees trying to board their trains.
In response, the Railway Ministry has launched a high-level inquiry led by a two-member committee. Meanwhile, the incident has sparked political controversy, with the Opposition demanding the resignation of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, accusing the government of negligence and an attempted cover-up.
If you enjoyed reading this article then please share it and bookmark our website for latest updates.
