Today, On 19th February, The Delhi High Court asked the Railways to take note of a PIL raising concerns over the recent stampede at New Delhi Railway Station. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta stated that the matter was not being treated adversarially and that the Railways is committed to following the law. The court emphasized the need for accountability and preventive measures to avoid such incidents in the future.
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court directed the Railways to investigate the setting of maximum passenger limits and the sale of platform tickets, following a PIL concerning the recent stampede at New Delhi Railway Station.
A bench consisting of Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela instructed the relevant authorities to provide an affidavit detailing their measures regarding these issues.
The court noted that the PIL was not limited to the recent stampede; it also called for the implementation of existing legal provisions regarding the maximum number of passengers allowed in a compartment and the sale of platform tickets.
The court suggested that proper implementation of these legal provisions might help prevent such stampede incidents in the future.
The case is scheduled to be heard again on March 26.
Additionally, a PIL was filed in the Supreme Court on February 17, just two days after the tragic incident that resulted in 18 deaths and left 15 injured. This PIL sought immediate measures to prevent similar disasters. Filed by advocate Vishal Tiwari, it requested the Centre and other authorities to consider a 2014 report from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on “Managing Crowd at Events and Venues of Mass Gathering.”
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The court ordered,
“Let the issues raised in the petition be examined, as suggested by the solicitor general, at the highest level at the Railway Board, and thereafter an affidavit be filed by the respondent detailing any decisions made by the Railway Board,”
During the hearing, the Division Bench questioned the Railways on why they sell more tickets than the number of passengers that can be accommodated in a coach.
The court remarked,
“If you fix the number of passengers for a coach, then why do you sell tickets that exceed that number? That is a problem,”
The court specifically referenced Section 57 of the Railways Act, which mandates that the administration must determine the maximum number of passengers allowed in a compartment.
The court stated,
“If you implement this straightforward requirement properly, such situations can be avoided. On busy days, you may increase that number based on demand, but neglecting to set a limit has led to ongoing issues,”
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta responded that the matter was not approached adversarially and confirmed that the Railways is obligated to comply with the law.
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He noted that there were “unprecedented” circumstances and assured the court that the issues raised would be considered at the highest level.
The Court emphasized that there should be no resistance to enforcing the rules designed to prevent such incidents.
Justice Upadhyay stated,
“His (the petitioner’s) concern extends beyond the unfortunate incident. He believes this situation could have been avoided if the Railways had adhered to its own regulations. He is seeking directions for the Railways to implement these rules in the future. I understand that there should be no opposition,”
As a result, the Court instructed the Railway Board to review the issues raised by the petitioner.