New Delhi Railway Station witnessed heavy passenger congestion at platforms 12 and 13 on Sunday due to delays in the departure of multiple major trains. The affected trains included the Shiv Ganga Express (scheduled for 08:05 PM, departed at 09:20 PM), Swatantrata Senani Express (scheduled for 09:15 PM), Jammu Rajdhani Express (scheduled for 09:25 PM), Lucknow Mail (scheduled for 10:00 PM), and Magadh Express (scheduled for 09:05 PM), which had not yet been assigned a platform.
The Delhi Police issued a statement confirming that the simultaneous delays led to significant overcrowding, creating a chaotic scene. “A large number of passengers had gathered at platforms 12 and 13 due to train delays, resulting in congestion. The situation resembled crowd management challenges observed in past Mahakumbh events. Necessary crowd control measures were implemented to prevent any untoward incidents. No injuries have been reported,” the statement read.
Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay, CPRO of Northern Railway, attributed the extra rush to the peak travel time on Sunday evenings. He reassured that crowd control measures, including CCTV monitoring, were in place, ensuring proper management. “The situation has been reviewed and is now normal,” he stated.
The Ministry of Railways also issued a clarification, denying reports of a stampede-like situation. “There was heavy rush, but no stampede or such incidents at NDLS. The protocol of guiding unreserved passengers through a holding area is being followed,” the statement said.
Senior officials, including the Senior Commandant of the RPF and the Station Director of NDLS, were present at the station to oversee operations and maintain order.
