Railway safety test begins in New Delhi
Weeks after the devastating stampede at New Delhi Railway Station that claimed 18 lives, authorities have implemented a series of measures to prevent another catastrophe. But the critical question remains—are these steps enough? If faced with another surge of passengers, will the system hold, or will history repeat itself? Have the lessons truly been learned, or are commuters still at risk?
The catastrophic stampede at New Delhi Railway Station on February 15 exposed glaring inefficiencies in crowd management at one of India’s busiest railway hubs. Eighteen lives were lost in a nightmarish crush of bodies—a grim testament to the station’s chronic chaos, negligence, and official apathy. This was not just an accident; it was a disaster waiting to happen.
For years, the New Delhi Railway Station has been a pressure cooker of disorder, where thousands of passengers struggle with overcrowding, poor regulation, and an infrastructure that buckles under its own inefficiency. Daily commuters are accustomed to the frenzied scramble, endless queues, and desperate dashes for trains—an ordeal that turns perilous during peak hours and festive seasons. Yet, despite repeated warnings and past mishaps, authorities have failed to implement meaningful reforms.
A tragedy born of neglect
Between 6 pm and 8 pm on February 15, the station witnessed an unmanageable surge of passengers. Nearly 10,000 people booked unreserved tickets—2,500 more than usual. This influx, largely driven by Kumbh devotees returning home, funneled a dangerously high volume of foot traffic onto just two platforms. What followed was inevitable. A bottleneck formed, passengers surged forward, and in the chaos, people were trampled underfoot.
Survivors recount a horrifying scene—suffocated voices screaming for help, bodies piled atop one another, and desperate attempts to pull the injured to safety. “There was no space to move, no officials to regulate the flow. I saw people crushed before my eyes,” said a distraught eyewitness.
A station perpetually on the brink of collapse
Despite its significance as a crucial transit hub, the New Delhi Railway Station is a glaring example of unpreparedness. Sixteen platforms, connected by an overbridge, serve thousands every hour, yet the infrastructure remains woefully inadequate. The station’s two main entry points—Paharganj and Ajmeri Gate—are perennially clogged, making timely access a Herculean task. The overcrowding on the foot overbridge has long been a disaster waiting to happen, with rushing commuters forced into an unregulated human tide.
Many travellers are left wondering—why is everyone always in a frantic hurry?
From the Paharganj side, traffic bottlenecks routinely bring movement to a standstill. Travellers, stuck in their cabs or rickshaws, are often forced to abandon their vehicles a kilometer away and sprint with their luggage to avoid missing their trains. The situation is exacerbated by unauthorised vendors and illegally parked vehicles choking the already narrow access roads. The scene from Ajmeri Gate is no better. The so-called ‘pick and drop’ lane—designed to facilitate swift passenger movement—has become a chokehold. Drivers failing to exit within the stipulated eight-minute window are slapped with steep fines, creating further delays and resentment.
Auto-rickshaws and cabs add to the mayhem, forming long, stagnant queues. Passengers alighting from vehicles struggle to navigate through the congestion, dragging luggage through honking traffic. With footpaths encroached upon by unauthorised stalls, pedestrians have no choice but to jostle their way through moving vehicles. The sheer volume of people and vehicles competing for space creates an environment of frustration, delays, and, ultimately, danger.
The government’s response, too late but necessary
Following the public outcry over the tragedy, the Railway Ministry finally took decisive action, approving a comprehensive crowd management plan for 60 major railway stations, including New Delhi. The plan includes deployment of a senior officer, designated as the Station Director, with financial authority to implement immediate improvements.
There will be restriction of platform access to only confirmed ticket holders to reduce overcrowding and sealing of unauthorised entry points to improve security.
Installation of standardised foot overbridges (12 meters and 6 meters wide) modeled after successful Mahakumbh crowd control strategies, creation of designated waiting areas outside stations to manage surge crowds during festivals and peak travel seasons, expansion of CCTV surveillance and digital monitoring systems for real-time crowd management and implementation of improved traffic control measures around railway stations to ease congestion and facilitate passenger movement are in the plan to tackle the crowd.
Moreover, high-traffic stations will have emergency response ‘war rooms’ staffed by officials from multiple departments to coordinate crisis management. Staff uniforms and ID cards will also be standardised to ensure only authorized personnel operate within the station premises.
Railway Ministry transfers top officials of Delhi division
The Ministry of Railways transferred several top officials of the Delhi division on March 4, weeks after the stampede at the New Delhi Railway Station claimed 18 lives and left 15 others injured. Among those transferred are Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Sukhwinder Singh, Additional DRM Vikram Singh Rana, Station Director Mahesh Yadav, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager (Passenger Services) Anand Mohan, and Assistant Security Commissioner (ASC) of the Railway Protection Force Mahesh Chand Saini.
While the official transfer orders did not mention the reason for the reshuffle, railway officials confirmed that the move was linked to the February 15 incident, in which passengers rushing to board Prayagraj-bound trains for the Maha Kumbh Mela were caught in a deadly crush.
“These officers were responsible for crowd management and overall operations. Allegations of mismanagement have emerged, and as the investigation progresses, their transfer ensures a fair probe,” a senior Railway Ministry official said on condition of anonymity.
According to official orders issued on Tuesday, Pushpesh R. Tripathi, an officer of the Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers (IRSEE) from North Central Railway, will replace Sukhwinder Singh as the new DRM of the Delhi division. Vikram Singh Rana will be succeeded by senior official Samir Kumar as ADRM. Mahesh Chand Saini, the ASC RPF at New Delhi Station, will be replaced by Chetan Diliprao Jichkar, who was previously posted in the Kota Division of West Central Railway.
Additionally, the Northern Railway has issued a joint order transferring Mahesh Yadav and Anand Mohan. Mahesh Yadav, the former Station Director of New Delhi Railway Station, has been replaced by Laxmi Kant Bansal, the current Deputy Chief Operations Manager (Coaching) at the railway headquarters. Anand Mohan, the Senior DCM of Passenger Services, will be succeeded by Nishant Narayan. Like the DRM and ADRM, these officials are now awaiting their next postings.
The transfers have fueled speculation that the Railway Ministry views complacency and dereliction of duty as contributing factors in the February 15 tragedy. Sources indicate that while some of these transfers were originally scheduled for later in the year, the stampede prompted the ministry to expedite the process.
The February 15 stampede occurred when large crowds gathered at New Delhi Railway Station to board trains to Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh Mela. Among the deceased were 11 women, three men, and four children. Many eyewitnesses attributed the tragedy to poor crowd management and inadequate facilities, while the Railways insisted that such rushes were common and not unusual for the station.
The incident sparked public outrage, with demands for accountability and improved safety measures at one of India’s busiest railway hubs. While the probe into the stampede is still ongoing, a report is expected soon, which will likely determine further action.
As investigations continue, the newly appointed officials face an immediate challenge: implementing crowd control measures, ensuring passenger safety, and restoring public confidence in the railway’s ability to handle peak travel periods efficiently.
Inadequate security measures prevail
Three weeks after the deadly stampede at New Delhi Railway Station claimed 18 lives, everything seems to have returned to normal. However, railway officials appear to be taking crowd management more seriously. At the baggage security check—usually left unmanned—multiple security personnel were present, directing passengers and sorting those with substantial luggage from those with minimal baggage.
Shikhar Srivastava, a passenger traveling to Patna, was not too impressed. “This is the bare minimum we should expect from officials. The fact that they are only doing this after so many people lost their lives says a lot,” he said.
On the platforms, long ropes have been tied from one end to the other to prevent passengers from venturing too close to the tracks. However, this measure appears ineffective, as passengers, including small children, were seen easily and routinely crossing the barrier. “This adds nothing but more inconvenience,” said an elderly passenger struggling to move around the platform with his luggage.
A pattern of failures
This tragedy is not an isolated event—it is part of a disturbing pattern. New Delhi Railway Station has a long history of stampedes, minor crushes, and frequent security lapses. The station handles an estimated five lakh passengers daily, yet crowd control mechanisms remain rudimentary at best. Despite technological advancements and lessons from past incidents, there is no effective crowd flow monitoring, no real-time passenger distribution system, and no contingency plan for surge situations.
Multiple studies have called for structural improvements, including wider foot overbridges, escalators, and better entry-exit management. Yet, these proposals remain buried in bureaucratic red tape. Meanwhile, passengers continue to pay the price for this inertia—with their safety, their dignity, and, in tragic cases like this, their lives.
Readiness
Important measures for crisis management
High-traffic stations will have emergency response ‘war rooms’ staffed by officials from multiple departments to coordinate crisis management. Staff uniforms and ID cards will also be standardised to ensure only authorised personnel operate within the station premises.
Challenges for newly appointed officials
As investigations continue, the newly appointed officials face an immediate challenge: implementing crowd control measures, ensuring passenger safety, and restoring public confidence in the railway’s ability to handle peak travel periods efficiently.
CHAOS
“There was no space to move, no officials to regulate the flow. I saw people crushed before my eyes,” said a distraught eyewitness.
At the baggage security check — usually left unmanned — multiple security personnel were present, directing passengers and sorting those with substantial luggage from those with minimal baggage. Shikhar Srivastava, a passenger traveling to Patna, was not too impressed and said, “This is the bare minimum we should expect from officials. The fact that they are only doing this after so many people lost their lives says a lot”.
On the platforms, long ropes have been tied from one end to the other to prevent passengers from venturing too close to the tracks. However, this measure appears ineffective, as passengers, including small children, can
be seen easily and routinely crossing the barrier. “This adds nothing but more inconvenience,” said an elderly passenger struggling to move around the platform with his luggage.
“The officers were responsible for crowd management and overall operations. Allegations of mismanagement have emerged, and as the investigation progresses, their transfer ensures a fair probe,” a senior Railway Ministry official said on condition of anonymity.
Key measures for crowd management at Railway Stations
Senior officers (IRTS officials of Selection Grade) will be appointed as Station Directors at major stations
Station Directors will have financial authority and decision-making power to take immediate action
All departments at respective stations will report to the Station Director, responsible for regulating ticket sales based on station capacity and available trains
The move is aimed at prevention of overcrowding at stations and ensuring safer passenger flow
Walkie-talkies and modern digital communication tools will be provided to railway personnel
Announcement and public address systems will be installed at high-traffic stations
All railway staff will receive newly-designed uniforms for easy identification during emergency situations
Staff and service personnel will be issued new ID cards to restrict unauthorised entry into railway stations
Measures will be implemented at 60 high-footfall stations, especially during festive seasons
Pilot projects in this regard have already started at New Delhi, Anand Vihar, Varanasi, Ayodhya, and Patna
Only confirmed ticket holders will be allowed on platforms; others must wait in designated holding areas
Unauthorised entry points at stations will be completely sealed off with strict vigil—only passengers with confirmed tickets will be allowed direct entry.
Two new standard designs for foot overbridges being developed: 12 meters wide and 6 meters wide
These wider overbridges, which proved effective during Maha Kumbh, will be installed at all major stations
Large-scale CCTV installations will be taken up in stations and surrounding areas across the country
Sophisticated cameras enabled with latest tech will assist in real-time crowd monitoring and management
Dedicated control centers will be set up to manage heavy crowds and respond to emergencies