Delhi stations suspend platform tickets until Nov 6 after Mumbai stampede

After the Mumbai stampede incident, the Northern Railways and the Delhi Rail Division have suspended the sale of platform tickets during the festive season to manage the influx of passengers

The Northern Railways and the Northern Railway’s Delhi Division announced on Sunday that platform tickets will be suspended during the festive season to alleviate congestion at railway stations. The decision follows a stampede at Mumbai’s Bandra railway station on October 27, which resulted in injuries to at least ten individuals as crowds rushed to board a Gorakhpur-bound train ahead of the Diwali and Chhath puja festivals.

 

To manage the expected influx of passengers during this busy period, special crowd control measures have been put in place at the New Delhi and Anand Vihar railway stations. According to a statement from the Northern Railways, these measures will remain effective until November 7, 2024.

 

A specific holding area has been established at the Ajmeri Gate side of New Delhi Railway Station and in the circulating area of Anand Vihar station. These areas feature additional ticket counters, automatic ticket vending machines, inquiry counters, a ‘May I Help You’ desk, catering services, drinking water stations, and mobile toilets to improve passenger comfort.

During this peak period, the Delhi Rail Division has temporarily closed the direct entry from the Delhi metro skywalk to the foot over-bridge.

 

Passengers are advised to arrive at least one hour prior to their train’s departure to minimise last-minute crowding and facilitate a smooth boarding process. Signage is available in the Ajmeri Gate side circulating area, and assistance can be obtained from ‘May I Help You’ counters or railway staff positioned throughout the area.

 

The Northern Railways has requested that passengers comply with these temporary measures and expressed gratitude for their cooperation.

Bandra stampede incident

A stampede at Bandra railway station in Mumbai resulted in injuries to at least ten people early Sunday morning. The incident occurred around 5.56 am on platform number one as passengers attempted to board the Bandra-Gorakhpur Express, as reported by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

 

The injured were taken to Bhabha Hospital for treatment. The injured have been identified as Shabhir Abdul Rehman (40), Parmeshwar Sukhdar Gupta (28), Ravindra Harihar Chuma (30), Ramsevak Ravindra Prasad Prajapati (29), Sanjay Tilakram Kangay (27), Divyanshu Yogendra Yadav (18), Mohammad Shareef Shaikh (25), Indrajith Sahani (19), and Noor Mohammad Shaikh (18).