UP railway stations tighten security after Delhi stampede amid Maha Kumbh rush

In the wake of the New Delhi railway station stampede that claimed 18 lives, authorities have implemented strict crowd control measures at key railway stations in Uttar Pradesh to manage the overwhelming rush of devotees traveling to Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh Mela. Major stations including Ayodhya, Kanpur, Lucknow, and Mirzapur are enforcing new security protocols to prevent overcrowding and ensure smooth passenger movement.

The Prayagraj Sangam station has been closed until February 26 as a preventive measure. According to Additional Director General (ADG) Railways Prakash D, 90 holding areas have been designated across eight railway stations in Prayagraj to accommodate excess passengers, as regular trains are already operating at full capacity.

To monitor the crowd more effectively, drones have been deployed at major stations in Prayagraj. Officials report that over 50 crore devotees have taken a holy dip at the Sangam since the Kumbh began on January 13. Police are urging travelers to follow official announcements to prevent any confusion and overcrowding.

The enhanced security measures follow the stampede at New Delhi railway station on February 15, which was triggered when a mix-up in train announcements led to a massive surge of passengers towards platform 16 via a narrow stairway. A bottleneck was created as people tried to move up and down simultaneously, resulting in panic and a deadly crush.

Apart from Prayagraj, similar crowd control measures have been introduced in Varanasi, Ayodhya, and Lucknow. At Varanasi Junction, barriers have been installed, and CCTV cameras track crowd movement 24/7. Platform changes are now communicated at least 90 minutes in advance to avoid last-minute rushes. In Ayodhya, separate entry and exit points have been established for pilgrims, with over 300 personnel and 200 CCTV cameras deployed for surveillance.

Meanwhile, special trains have been introduced to manage the influx of pilgrims, and schools in Prayagraj up to Class 8 have been closed until February 20 due to heavy congestion. Officials are urging passengers to avoid last-minute platform changes and rely only on official announcements to prevent further mishaps.