NEW DELHI, 19 February– The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed the Railway Board to examine concerns over platform ticket sales and overcrowding in train coaches, both raised in a public interest litigation (PIL) following the February 15 stampede at New Delhi Railway Station.
The court, led by Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, asked the Railways to file an affidavit detailing decisions taken at the highest level.
“Let the issues raised in the petition be examined, as suggested by the Solicitor General, at the Railway Board, and an affidavit be submitted,” the court ordered, as per PTI.
The PIL is not limited to the recent stampede but seeks enforcement of Sections 57 and 147 of the Railways Act, which regulate passenger limits in train compartments and require platform tickets for entry. The bench questioned the Railways’ practice of selling more tickets than available seats.
“If you fix the number of passengers per coach, why do you allow ticket sales to exceed that number? That is the problem,” the court observed, according to Bar & Bench.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Railways, described the stampede as an “unprecedented” event and assured the court the concerns would be addressed at the highest level.
The court noted that proper enforcement of legal provisions could help prevent such incidents in the future.
The February 15 stampede, triggered by massive crowds traveling to Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj for the ongoing Maha Kumbh, left 18 dead and 15 injured.
Overcrowding has led to passengers boarding reserved coaches without tickets, with some being locked out and vandalizing trains in frustration. The next hearing is scheduled for March 26.
