Railways Overhauls Crowd Control Nationwide After Delhi Stampede, 60 High-Traffic Stations To Get AI Surveillance And Color-Coded Zones

The Railways Ministry announced a complete overhaul of crowd-control measures and protocols across the country, 48 hours after a stampede at a station in Delhi killed 18 people, as reported by NDTV.

The six-month campaign will introduce colour-coded enclosures, enhanced technology for crowd monitoring, and crisis-management training for railway officials.

As part of the initiative, 60 railway stations that experience overcrowding during the Maha Kumbh rush will be designated as ‘high-traffic’ stations. 

Among these, 35 stations that connect directly to Prayagraj will be monitored in real-time by a centralised ‘war room’.

 Officials said that 90 per cent of Kumbh devotees travel from four states within 300 km of Prayagraj, making crowd control crucial.

From the perspective of law enforcement, Delhi Police has assigned six senior officers to supervise crowd management at New Delhi Railway Station (NDLS). According to news agency IANS, these officers have been specifically chosen for their experience in handling operations at NDLS, one of India’s busiest railway hubs.

Additionally, security personnel from the Railway Police Force have been deployed in greater numbers to manage the increasing rush. In an immediate measure to reduce overcrowding, railway authorities have temporarily suspended the sale of platform tickets for seven hours from 4 PM onwards.

However, this restriction will not apply to senior citizens or individuals with disabilities, as confirmed by Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay, Chief Public Relations Officer of Northern Railways, in a statement to NDTV.

 The 35 high-traffic stations, including those in Delhi, will also have colour-coded holding areas with designated sections and pathways to regulate crowd movement.