NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought a response from the Union government and Indian Railways on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed after the recent stampede at New Delhi Railway Station. The petition calls for urgent safety measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
During the hearing, a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice DK Upadhyay and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela questioned why the Railways continues to sell tickets beyond the seating capacity of coaches, despite fixed limits.
“If you have set a fixed number of passengers per coach, why are more tickets sold beyond that number? That is the problem,” the court observed.
The judges referred to Section 57 of the Railways Act, which mandates fixing a maximum number of passengers per compartment. They criticized the Railways for neglecting this provision, emphasizing that strict enforcement could prevent overcrowding and related tragedies.
The court suggested that while adjustments could be made during peak travel seasons, a clearly defined capacity limit must be followed. It added that compliance with existing rules would help avoid dangerous crowding situations.
“If you implement a simple rule in letter and spirit, such incidents can be avoided. On rush days, you may increase capacity depending on exigencies, but failing to fix passenger limits at all is unacceptable,” the Bench stated.
Railway Board Ordered to Examine the Issue
The petitioner argued that the recent stampede was preventable if the Railways had strictly adhered to its own safety protocols. The court agreed, saying there should be no opposition to ensuring better crowd control measures in railway stations.
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