Delhi stampede: Crowd control measures intensified; Vaishnaw rules out conspiracy

Ashwini Vaishnaw. File
| Picture Credit score: SHASHI SHEKHAR KASHYAP

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday (February 17, 2025) dominated out any conspiracy behind the stampede on the New Delhi station and mentioned there was no extraordinary rush both, whilst businesses enhanced crowd control measures by deploying extra safety personnel, creating holding areas and intense CCTV monitoring.

Sources mentioned a staff of police officers visited the station on Monday to obtain the CCTV footage to find out the sequence of the occasions that led to the stampede on February 15 that left not less than 18 useless and 15 injured.

5 of the injured are nonetheless present process therapy in hospitals, whilst survivors continued to recount their near-death experiences and officers remained on the toe to make sure no untoward incident occurs.

Additionally Learn | Railways to take away Kumbh advertisements from stations to carry down crowds

Railway Minister Vaishnaw mentioned holding areas might be created at 60 stations experiencing excessive footfalls, a separate crowd administration guide might be formulated and consciousness might be raised amongst passengers to not sit at stairs.

Speaking concerning the stampede, he informed mediapersons right here, “No conspiracy appears for the time being.” He additionally mentioned info out there until now confirmed that there was no extraordinary rush both when the stampede broke out.

He additionally dismissed the platform change announcement as a explanation for the stampede, saying, “The inquiry committee is wanting into it deeply.” Railway officers mentioned the whole capability of all 16 platforms on the busy New Delhi station at any time limit is 48,000 passengers as every platform can maintain 3000.

“On February 15, the day of the incident, between 6 p.m. and eight p.m., round 12,208 unreserved tickets have been offered. Whereas on different days, this quantity is often round 9,600. Between 8 pm and 10 pm whereas 8,900 unreserved tickets are offered on different days, on February 15, 7,600 unreserved tickets have been offered,” a railway official mentioned.

“One Prayagraj Particular was operated from platform quantity 12 at 7:15 pm and seeing the rise within the sale of tickets, yet one more particular was deliberate which was ready on the similar platform at 8:50 pm,” the official added.

An announcement was made round 8:30 p.m. for this Prayagraj Particular practice at platform 12, however some passengers obtained confused and thought that the announcement was made for Prayagraj Categorical, the official mentioned.

“They have been at platform 14 to board the Prayagraj Categorical nevertheless it regarded just like the announcement confused them and so they began shifting for platform no 12,” the official mentioned.

“Whereas climbing the steps, the place plenty of passengers have been sitting, one in all them with a heavy load on his head, grew to become unstable and fell behind on different passengers inflicting a stampede,” the official added.

Mr. Vaishnaw mentioned the warfare room arrange at Rail Bhawan to get stay feed from numerous stations together with New Delhi confirmed these stations did not have extraordinary crowds.

“We’ve got learnt from the previous failures and errors and that is the rationale such an enormous crowd of passengers have been managed so nicely. Whereas within the earlier Kumbh Mela, solely 4,000 trains have been run, this time we deliberate 13,000 trains and 12,583 trains have already been operated thus far,” he mentioned.