2010 stampede taught Delhi to control crowd at railway stations
, TNN|
Sep 30, 2017, 10.43 AM IST
NEW DELHI: With the horrifying pictures of the stampede at Elphinstone railway station in Mumbai aired incessantly on television on Friday morning, the authorities at New Delhi Railway Station quickly stepped in to boost security there and at other train stations in the Delhi railway division.
New Delhi station is no stranger to similar disasters, having been the site of a stampede in 2010 when two festive-season travellers died and several others were injured after a last minute change of platform was announced for a Patna-bound train. Officials said the tragedy egged the rail authorities into preparing an elaborate crowd management plan that has, so far, been successfully implemented at all stations in the city Delhi. For one, no platform changes are allowed now unless announced well in advance.
When TOI visited New Delhi Railway Station on Friday , security was high, with railway police personnel on vigil on foot overbridges and platforms. They asked people squatting on FOBs to leave and asked others not to stand around idly because it obstructed the passage of people. RPF officers said this diligence was not purely in response to the Mumbai incident, but had started a few weeks back, keeping in mind the festival period and the increase in the number of passengers.
Saying that 200 more railway policemen would be on duty soon, a senior RPF officer said, "Passengers are likely to increase in view of Diwali and Chhath, so we will have more people patrolling the station." He added that New Delhi Railway Station was heavily dependent on foot overbridges for people movement, so the focus was on those. "RPF personnel have been directed to ensure people don't stand or sit on FOBs and platforms.They can even fine people in some cases," the officer said.
RN Singh, divisional railway manager (Delhi), said, "The FOB traffic is being segregated from both sides.CCTV surveillance is being employed to monitor crowd behaviour and we are prepared to handle the rush, which we feel is likely to touch six lakh passengers per day."
Railway officials assured that special holding areas would be created in the next two weeks in time for the Diwali and Chhath crowds. These spe cial holding areas would have facilities like ticket counters, mobile toilets, drinking water and food stalls. In addition, special duty officers will be posted there along with railway policemen.
At present, over 50 special festival trains are being run to prevent overcrowding. Officials said the number of such trains is likely to rise in the coming weeks. Northern Railways has also redirected several trains to other stations such as Anand Vihar and Old Delhi to check the rush at New Delhi Railway Station. "The diversion of trains to other stations should help us ensure smooth and safe passage for passengers in the station area," a railway official said.
New Delhi station is no stranger to similar disasters, having been the site of a stampede in 2010 when two festive-season travellers died and several others were injured after a last minute change of platform was announced for a Patna-bound train. Officials said the tragedy egged the rail authorities into preparing an elaborate crowd management plan that has, so far, been successfully implemented at all stations in the city Delhi. For one, no platform changes are allowed now unless announced well in advance.
When TOI visited New Delhi Railway Station on Friday , security was high, with railway police personnel on vigil on foot overbridges and platforms. They asked people squatting on FOBs to leave and asked others not to stand around idly because it obstructed the passage of people. RPF officers said this diligence was not purely in response to the Mumbai incident, but had started a few weeks back, keeping in mind the festival period and the increase in the number of passengers.
Saying that 200 more railway policemen would be on duty soon, a senior RPF officer said, "Passengers are likely to increase in view of Diwali and Chhath, so we will have more people patrolling the station." He added that New Delhi Railway Station was heavily dependent on foot overbridges for people movement, so the focus was on those. "RPF personnel have been directed to ensure people don't stand or sit on FOBs and platforms.They can even fine people in some cases," the officer said.
RN Singh, divisional railway manager (Delhi), said, "The FOB traffic is being segregated from both sides.CCTV surveillance is being employed to monitor crowd behaviour and we are prepared to handle the rush, which we feel is likely to touch six lakh passengers per day."
Railway officials assured that special holding areas would be created in the next two weeks in time for the Diwali and Chhath crowds. These spe cial holding areas would have facilities like ticket counters, mobile toilets, drinking water and food stalls. In addition, special duty officers will be posted there along with railway policemen.
At present, over 50 special festival trains are being run to prevent overcrowding. Officials said the number of such trains is likely to rise in the coming weeks. Northern Railways has also redirected several trains to other stations such as Anand Vihar and Old Delhi to check the rush at New Delhi Railway Station. "The diversion of trains to other stations should help us ensure smooth and safe passage for passengers in the station area," a railway official said.
(This article was originally published in The Times of India)
