The central government has outlined a comprehensive plan to handle the growing passenger rush at major railway stations, including the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the establishment of permanent holding zones at 60 high-traffic stations. This move comes in the aftermath of the deadly stampede at New Delhi railway station, which resulted in 18 fatalities after a chaotic rush of Maha Kumbh devotees.
According to sources speaking with India Today TV, local officials will undergo special training on situational awareness and crisis management. As part of efforts to streamline passenger movement and reduce overcrowding, directional arrows and separators will guide people towards designated holding areas, ensuring better management of the station’s foot traffic.
In addition to infrastructure improvements, the Railways will deploy AI technology to monitor crowd movements in real time, especially during delays. A central “war room” will oversee operations at 35 stations connected to Prayagraj, keeping track of potential bottlenecks and crowding. For enhanced monitoring, over 200 CCTV cameras have already been installed at the New Delhi railway station alone, with specific focus on foot overbridges and staircases where crowding has historically occurred.
The stampede, which occurred late on Saturday night, was triggered by a confusion in train announcements and a mix-up of platforms, leading to a surge of passengers heading towards platform 16. A narrow stairway became the focal point of the chaos, and as passengers were trapped between those attempting to ascend and descend, panic spread, resulting in a fatal crush.
To prevent such incidents in the future, the Railways is taking proactive steps. Special efforts will focus on monitoring stations where a high percentage of Maha Kumbh devotees, who come from a 300 km radius across four states, pass through. Additionally, the Railways will initiate a campaign to identify overcrowding issues and collect feedback from passengers, coolies, and shopkeepers to improve station operations.
Delays in train departures and the sale of over 1,500 general tickets every hour were identified as factors that contributed to the overcrowded and chaotic environment during the stampede. As part of ongoing investigations, a high-level committee formed by the Railway Ministry is examining CCTV footage and other relevant documentation to identify the root causes of the tragedy. The report from the committee is expected soon.
As a response to the stampede, the Railway Ministry has announced compensation for the victims’ families – Rs 10 lakh for those killed, Rs 2.5 lakh for those seriously injured, and Rs 1 lakh for those with minor injuries. In the meantime, platform tickets will not be sold at the New Delhi station until February 26, the end date of the Maha Kumbh, in order to avoid overcrowding. However, passengers can still purchase platform tickets via automatic vending machines installed at the station.
The Northern Railways has also announced that all special trains bound for Prayagraj will now depart from platform number 16. Passengers traveling to Prayagraj will be directed to the Ajmeri Gate side of the station.