A day after the tragic stampede at New Delhi Railway Station that claimed 18 lives, the station remained heavily overcrowded on Sunday, with thousands of passengers struggling to board trains amidst the overwhelming rush. Despite additional measures, the sheer influx of travelers, including many Maha Kumbh pilgrims heading to Prayagraj, continued to make the situation challenging for authorities.

The stampede occurred around 10 pm on Saturday when confusion over train announcements led to a surge of passengers rushing toward platform 16 via a narrow stairway. The crowd quickly became trapped, with people pushing both up and down, turning into a human bottleneck. Panic set in, and within moments, the crowd turned into a deadly crush.

Hours later, the congestion showed little improvement, with thousands still jostling for space on the platforms and foot-over bridges. An RPF officer stationed at platform 16 remarked, “Even after what happened, the situation is the same. We are trying our best, but the number of people is too high.”

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Despite issuing general tickets at an estimated rate of 1,500 per hour, the surge continues to strain resources. Prayagraj special trains are operating at more than double their capacity, with passengers clinging to train doors and squeezing into compartments, while some even climb through windows to board. In one case, passengers on the New Delhi-Bihar Sampark Kranti Express, which does not even go to Prayagraj, fought to enter, forcing RPF officers to physically close the doors.

A distressing moment occurred when a 15-year-old girl was seen crying from suffocation inside the overcrowded train, while her mother, unable to board due to the crush, wept helplessly. “Don’t worry, you will reach safely,” the mother reassured her child, as the packed train departed, leaving many families separated. A stranded passenger described the intense situation inside the train: “The number of people was so high that no one could even move. If anything had gone wrong, it would have been impossible to get out.”

Additional RPF personnel have been deployed, and senior officials are making regular rounds to monitor the situation. The foot-over bridges and staircases, where the stampede occurred, remain crowded with pilgrims rushing to their trains.

Railway officials acknowledge that the passenger surge is overwhelming but are making efforts to manage it. The rush to Prayagraj is expected to continue for several days, posing a constant crowd control challenge. “We are working at full capacity, but the crowd is too much. Managing such a large number of people is not easy,” an RPF official said.

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Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has ordered a high-level inquiry into the stampede and announced additional special trains to alleviate the congestion. Two senior officials have been appointed to investigate the incident, but the station remains difficult to manage due to the ongoing heavy footfall.

(With PTI Inputs)