'Why sell excess tickets'? Delhi HC asks authorities over deadly stampede

On the day of the stampede, the chaos unfolded due to multiple factors. The primary cause was the station authorities continuing to sell tickets - issuing approximately 3,000 within just two hours

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday came down heavily on the Centre and Indian Railways after a deadly stampede at New Delhi Railway Station claimed the lives of 18 individuals who were travelling to Prayagraj to attend Mahakumbh 2025. The court asked why the Railways continued to sell excess tickets beyond the sitting capacity of the train coaches. 

 

A division bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyay and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela demanded an explanation from the Centre and the Railways on the deadly incident, according to a report by Live Law. The court further asked what urgent steps the government and Railways are taking to prevent such tragedies in the future.

 

 

“Show us what steps you will take to implement existing laws that restrict the number of passengers per coach and penalize unauthorised entry,” the court stated. The court stressed that each railway administration is legally required to determine and clearly display the maximum passenger capacity for every coach.

Violation of safety norms by authorities 

The Chief Justice further remarked, “Had the rules been implemented in letter and spirit, this tragic incident could have been avoided.” 

 

The court suggested that the rush-hour demand might necessitate flexibility. Further commenting on the importance of the safety norms, the court mentioned that selling tickets beyond capacity on normal days was a clear violation of safety norms.

Railway’s response 

In response to the court’s directions, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Railways, informed the court that the Railway Board would assess the matter. The court set the next hearing for March 26.

 

3,000 tickets sold in 2 hours

In the February 15, 2025, stampede at New Delhi Railway Station, 18 people lost their lives, including 11 women and five children.

 

According to NDTV, multiple factors contributed to the chaos, but the primary cause was the continued sale of tickets by station authorities — issuing approximately 3,000 tickets within two hours. Additionally, a significant number of tickets were purchased online, as noted in a preliminary report by the Railway Police Force.

 

The situation became worse after 10 pm when two trains, the Shiv Ganga and Magadh Express — both travelling towards Prayagraj, where the world’s largest religious gathering Maha Kumbh is happening — left the station. Thousands of people were still waiting on platforms 14 and 15 when news spread that a special train to Prayagraj would depart from platform 16. The stampede broke out as crowds rushed in that direction.