Lucknow-bound passengers slam poor arrangements, recount Delhi stampede horror

Passengers reaching Charbagh railway station in Lucknow on Sunday recalled the chaos at New Delhi railway station (NDLS) during the deadly stampede that claimed at least 18 lives. Slamming the poor arrangements, they described a nightmarish ordeal, struggling to reach platforms amid the mayhem.

Eyewitness Dharmendra Singh recounted, “When I reached New Delhi railway station, the crowd was overwhelming. Policemen had closed the gates and informed us about the stampede inside. I saw women and children being carried away on stretchers. The situation was chaotic.” “

“After the incident, the police resorted to lathi-charge to control the crowd. Only after about 90% of the crowd had dispersed did the railways run a special train. There was no one to listen or assist us. We have complained to the railways several times, yet no arrangements were made—no drinking water, and even the toilets were closed,” Singh added.

Another passenger, Shadma Khan, who works with a finance company in Delhi, had to travel on the Lucknow New Delhi AC Special at 11 pm on Saturday from NDLS to Lucknow. She said it was nothing less than a nightmare to reach platform number nine of NDLS, from where her train was to depart.

“When I reached the station, the main entrance was closed, and there was a long queue of ambulances outside. Entry from the metro side was also blocked, and I had to enter from another side amidst a sea of travelers who had flocked to the railway station. I didn’t know there had been a stampede, as the station was jam-packed even at 11 pm. I had to call my father to pick me up from Lucknow railway station, as my mother had apprehensions about overcrowding at Lucknow station as well,” she stated.

Another youngster, Neeraj Singh, who was traveling with his family on the same train, recalled how cops were deployed in reserved bogies to stop people without tickets or reservations from entering. “Had there been no cops, the crowd would have barged into the AC third bogie as well. The gates of the compartment were locked to avoid chaos. Some people tried to barge in at Moradabad station, but the cops insisted on keeping the gates closed,” stated Singh.

Kushagra Singh, a businessman who frequently travels between the state capital and NCR for business, recounted the horror he faced at NDLS on Saturday night. “Even after the stampede, the crowd kept coming in, and I thought I would miss my train. It was total chaos. Continuous announcements were being made about special trains to Prayagraj, but the crowd kept swelling on the platforms.”

Even the Anand Vihar railway station witnessed a large influx of crowd. Sonu Singh from Delhi, traveling with his friends on Special Train No. 04212, told HT, “At Anand Vihar station last night, people were falling over each other. We somehow managed to escape, abandoned the train, and boarded another one.”

Some Lko passengers abandoned their journey

Pulak Das from Lucknow, who had planned to travel to the Mahakumbh on the New Delhi-Phaphamau special train, was unable to board due to the massive crowd and he then had to cancel the plans. “The arrangements are terrible. Toilets are leaking, and basic facilities are lacking,” he said.

Another passenger Ajit Kumar pointed out the lack of essential facilities. “There are no toilets on the train, and there is no water, causing immense trouble, especially for women,” he said.