Delhi HC raps Railways over stampede incident

RPF manage passengers at New Delhi Railway Station. PIC/PTI

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked the Railways to examine the fixing of maximum passengers and sale of platform tickets - issues raised in a PIL over the recent stampede at the New Delhi Railway Station, setting the next date of hearing on March 26. A bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhayaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela asked the authorities concerned to state in its affidavit, the details of its measures on the issues.

"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 giving details of the decisions which might be taken by the Railway Board," the court ordered.

Solicitor general Tushar Mehta said the matter was not taken in an adversarial manner and the Railways was bound to follow the law. The court said the PIL was not confined to the recent incident of stampede as it sought implementation of the existing legal provisions with respect to maximum number of passengers in a compartment and sale of platform tickets. If the legal provisions were implemented adequately, such incidents of stampede could be avoided, it added.

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