Heavy rush but no stampede at New Delhi railway station, say officials after delay of multiple trains

New Delhi Railway Station experienced heavy passenger congestion due to delays in the departure of multiple trains, leading to chaos at platform numbers 12 and 13 on Sunday. Railway officials confirmed that while the situation was chaotic, there was "no stampede" or "stampede-like" incident reported. 

The clarification comes after a recent stampede at the railway station claimed at least 18 lives.

The delays resulted in a considerable number of passengers at the station, although the police stated that no injuries were reported. Senior officials, including the Senior Commandant of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the Station Director of New Delhi Railway Station (NDLS), were present to ensure better management of the situation.

The railway official reiterated that there was "no stampede or stampede-like situation at NDLS," and measures were implemented to manage the crowd. Specifically, the protocol of guiding unreserved passengers through a designated holding area was employed to ease the congestion. The situation was further controlled by the successful departure of some of the delayed trains, providing relief to the crowded platforms.

Passengers were seen scaling barricades and jumping queues in attempts to board the trains. As a response to the disorderly situation, the Delhi Police took immediate steps to enforce crowd management measures to prevent any untoward incidents. 

Despite the high number of travellers, the police confirmed, "Now, a few trains have left and the situation is under control."