NEW DELHI: Following the tragic stampede at New Delhi station that killed 18 people on Saturday, February 15,  Indian Railways is now putting new plans in place to prevent such accidents in the future. They will create 'holding areas' at 60 busy stations, especially during big events and festivals. These areas will help control the flow of passengers. Also, a crowd-management guide will be made, and the public will be educated on the importance of keeping stairs and walkways clear to avoid crowding.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw shared that these holding areas, which can be either temporary or permanent, will be located outside platforms. The goal is to regulate how people move through stations. Some of the major stations where these areas will be set up include New Delhi, Patna, Danapur, Arrah, Buxar, Varanasi, Surat, Bengaluru, and Coimbatore. Access to platforms will be given based on train departure times to avoid overcrowding. This idea has already worked well at stations in the Prayagraj region.

Vaishnaw also explained that a detailed crowd-management guide will be made by bringing together existing rules and procedures. This will help handle large crowds during festivals and special events. He stressed the need to educate passengers about the dangers of sitting on stairs or blocking paths, though fines won’t be imposed. Instead, media campaigns will be used to raise awareness.

These changes come after witnesses said the stampede happened due to poor crowd control, even though railway officials claimed the crowd size was normal for New Delhi station. What about the actions taken in response to the incident, Vaishnaw said they were waiting for the inquiry committee’s report before making any decisions, following a principle of accountability. He also said that no deadline has been set for the committee’s report to avoid pressuring its members.

Last  Sunday's stampede at New Delhi Railway Station has prompted to implement  these serious concerns over  passenger safety and comfort at crowded stations. The Indian Railways is now starting crowd management with new measures such as passenger awareness, holding areas, and a revised manual.

In addition, Vaishnaw announced a new initiative in Delhi where all railway stations will invite feedback and suggestions from different groups, like hawkers, porters, taxi drivers, and passengers, to find and solve ongoing issues.