‘Why Sell Excess Tickets?’ High Court Raps Railways & Centre Over New Delhi Station Stampede

New Delhi: Indian Railways and the Centre were asked tough questions by Delhi High Court on Wednesday regarding last week’s stampede at New Delhi railway station, in which 18 people were killed.

A division bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyay and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela sought answers on why the Railways continued to sell tickets in excess of the number of passengers who could be accommodated in a couch.

Both the Railways and Central government have been told to reply.

The high court was hearing a PIL on safety measures to prevent such accidents, and enforce Section 147 of the Railways Act that limits passengers per coach. The rule prescribes a six-month jail term to those who flout the rule and a Rs 1,000 fine.

“Show what steps you will take to implement existing laws that limit number of passengers in coaches and penalise persons entering without authority. From a perusal of the relevant sections (of the Railways Act)… every railway administration is under a statutory mandate to fix a certain number of passengers… and this number shall be exhibited conspicuously outside coach,” the furious bench said.

“If you implement a simple thing in a positive manner… in letter and spirit… this situation (the stampede at the Delhi railway station) could have been avoided,” Chief Justice Upadhyay said.

Acknowledging that on “rush days” the Railways may have reasons to accommodate more than the permitted limit, but enforcing maximum seating capacity “seems to have been neglected”.

“Why did number of tickets sold exceed number of berths? That is a problem,” the bench pointed out.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who appeared for the Railways, had no argument to offer and said the Railway Board would look into all aspects.

The high court set March 26 as the next date of hearing.

Around 10 pm on February 15, 11 women and 5 children were among 18 people who lost their lives as the crowds looking to catch Prayagraj-bound trains to attend Mahakumbh swelled up.