Three top railways officials transferred after New Delhi station stampede

NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Railways has transferred three top Railways officials of the Delhi division, weeks after the New Delhi station stampede that claimed the lives of 18 people.

According to the order, Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Delhi, Northern Railway, Sukhwinder Singh has been transferred and replaced by Pushpesh R Tripathi. Besides him, Station Director Mahesh Yadav and Senior Divisional Commercial Manager (passenger services) Anand Mohan have been transferred.

On the night of February 15, a devastating stampede at New Delhi Railway Station led to the tragic loss of 18 lives. The incident unfolded around 10 pm as a massive influx of thousands of devotees poured into the station, all on their way to Mahakumbh in Prayagraj.

#WATCH | Delhi | Visuals from platform number 14 – one of the platforms at New Delhi Railway Station, where a stampede broke out at 10 PM, yesterday, leaving 15 people dead and several others injured pic.twitter.com/WQBeoef0Le

— ANI (@ANI) February 16, 2025

The sheer volume of people created an overwhelming surge of crowding, which ultimately triggered the chaos and panic that resulted in the fatal stampede. The Indian Railways announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the families of the deceased in the tragic incident. Additionally, the Indian Railways announced a compensation of Rs 2.5 lakh for those seriously injured in the incident and Rs 1 lakh for those with minor injuries.

After the incident, the Ministry of Railways is planning to construct permanent holding areas at 60 railway stations across the country, which are prone to crowd congestion. As per sources of the ministry, this decision comes as part of a broader strategy to manage the large crowds that frequently gather at busy railway stations, ensuring smoother transit and reducing congestion-related issues.

According to sources, there are around 60 stations identified nationwide that experience persistent overcrowding. To address this, the Ministry of Railways will deploy artificial intelligence (AI) and other advanced technologies for real-time crowd monitoring and crisis management. These technologies will help regulate passenger movement, predict peak hours and implement immediate measures to prevent stampedes or other safety hazards. (ANI)