New Delhi: From erecting a designated ‘pandal’ for waiting passengers to deploying additional security personnel at foot overbridges, the railways has taken several measures to manage the crowd at the New Delhi Railway Station where a stampede on Saturday night claimed 18 lives.
In addition to crowd control efforts, two medical help desks have been set up at platforms number 1 and 16 to assist passengers in case of emergencies.
A Railway Protection Force (RPF) constable was seen making regular announcements through a handheld loudspeaker, informing passengers about the newly installed ‘pandal’ (temporary fabricated structure) near the exit gate.
“Passengers, whose trains are late, should not sit at station and gates. A pandal has been set up for them where they can go and rest,” the officer announced through the loudspeaker.
An RPF personnel said the pandal was erected on Sunday and will remain in place till February 26, when the Maha Kumbh Mela is scheduled to end.
Several people were seen resting inside the green colour pandal, but a large number of passengers were still seen waiting at the entry gate of the station.
Yhe foot overbridges were being manned by RPF and security personnel from other agencies. Several escalators were also not working at the station.
Sushil Handa, Northern Railways Division hospital’s chief nursing superintendent, said medical help desks were set up on Sunday.
“We generally set up the medical help desk at the station during the festive seasons and summer vacations when there would be a large number of passengers traveling through trains. This help desk was set up on Sunday. It is being operated from 6 am to 10 pm. The staff has been deployed in two shifts.
“We have the facility of first aid and also have medicines of fever, cold etc. Passengers who face any major medical emergency would be sent to the hospital via an ambulance stationed outside the station,” she said.
Handa further said a woman came to them Monday morning for a minor cut in her foot.
A notice has been pasted at ticket counters informing passengers that platform tickets will not be sold between 4 pm and 11 pm.
Earlier in the day, a senior officer of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) told PTI, “We have seen several people waiting or standing on the foot overbridge without any reason, causing delays for other passengers trying to reach different platforms. Now, no one will be allowed to stand on the foot overbridge without a valid reason.”
There was heavy security deployment at the station.
Saturday’s stampede occurred around 10 pm when a surge of passengers, confused by a mix-up in train announcements, rushed towards platform 16 via a narrow stairway.
Trapped between those trying to move up and others trying to descend, the crowd turned into a human bottleneck. Within minutes, panic spread and people began falling, leading to a horrifying crush.
