Following the Saturday stampede incident at the New Delhi Railway Station, Northern Railway has introduced new measures to manage the surge of passengers there. To ease congestion, all special trains bound for Prayagraj will now depart from platform 16, and passengers are being advised to use the Ajmeri Gate entrance for smoother movement. This was informed by the authorities through releasing a statement on Sunday.
Increased security and special trains: Additional personnel from the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) have been deployed to guide passengers and manage the crowd. To accommodate the rush of devotees travelling for Mahakumbh, four special trains were operated today, with five more scheduled for tomorrow.
Public advisory and helpline support: Indian Railways has urged passengers to avoid baseless rumours and follow official announcements to prevent panic situations. Travellers are advised to use Helpline No. 139 for queries, with over 130 calls already received in connection with the incident.
Compensation for victims: An ex-gratia of ₹10 lakh has been provided to the families of each of the 18 deceased. ₹2.5 lakh has been given to those grievously injured, while passengers with minor injuries received ₹1 lakh. Railway officials personally assisted families in performing the last rites of the victims.
Investigation underway: A two member high level committee has commenced its probe into the incident. The panel includes Principal Chief Security Commissioner Pankaj Gangwar and Principal Chief Commercial Manager Nar Singh from Northern Railway.
Indian Railways has assured passengers that operational measures are being streamlined to avoid further mishaps while ensuring smooth travel during the ongoing Mahakumbh rush.
