Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Reacts On New Delhi Railway Station Stampede

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw reacted to Stampede at New Delhi Railway Station, which claimed 15 lives. The Railway Minister has ordered officials to take control of the situation. The incident occurred as a large crowd gathered to travel to Mahakumbh, leading to a stampede on platforms 14 and 15. Special trains are being operated to manage the unexpected surge in passengers.

Over ten individuals sustained injuries during the rush at the station. The Delhi Fire Service dispatched four fire tenders to the scene. However, Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay, Chief Public Relations Officer of Northern Railway, clarified that there was no actual stampede at the location.

Special Trains and Delays

The railway minister is expected to visit New Delhi Railway Station soon and check on those injured in hospitals. To accommodate passenger demand, two Kumbh Special trains are running. The sudden influx of devotees aiming to reach Prayagraj led to this situation.

Officials noted delays in the Swantrata Senani Express and Bhubaneshwar Rajdhani Express. Passengers from these trains were also present on platforms 12, 13, and 14. This contributed to overcrowding and chaos at the station.

Passenger Surge and Safety Measures

The Deputy Commissioner of Police reported that approximately 1,500 general tickets were sold every hour by railways, causing an uncontrollable crowd. A stampede-like situation arose near platform 14 and escalator close to platform 16 due to this congestion.

"Situation under control at New Delhi railway station (NDLS) Delhi Police and RPF reached. Injured taken to hospital. Special trains being run to evacuate sudden rush," stated Ashwini Vaishnaw regarding the incident.