Delhi High Court on Wednesday rebuked Indian Railways for ‘selling excess tickets’ after a stampede at New Delhi railway station claimed 18 lives. Seeking a reply from the Centre and railways, a division bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyay and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela asked why tickets were sold in excess of the number of passengers who could be accommodated in a coach.
A deadly stampede occurred at New Delhi railway station on Saturday, as large crowds gathered to travel to Prayagraj for the Mahakumbh. The tragic incident claimed 18 lives, with several others injured.
The court made these observations during a hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) addressing safety measures to prevent such incidents. The PIL also called for the enforcement of a section of the Railways Act that limits the number of passengers per coach and prescribes a six-month jail term for those who violate this rule.
"Show what steps you will take to implement existing laws that limit the 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 court said.
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The chief justice said the mishap could have been averted had things been implemented in positive manner. "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," he said.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who appeared on behalf of the Railways, said the department would look into the matter. The case will be heard next on March 26.