Who will save the people?
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The incident in which 18 people lost their lives and 13 others were injured in the chaos and overcrowding at the New Delhi railway station on Saturday night, as pilgrims arrived to participate in the Kumbh Mela in Uttar Pradesh, exposes the pitiable helplessness of the central and state governments in disaster management and safety arrangements. The official explanations and reactions to the disaster, which occurred at 10 p.m. on February 15, clearly demonstrate the indifference with which the authorities are handling the matter of protecting human life and property. Instead of finding and implementing solutions to rectify the shortcomings, the government is rushing to suppress the extent and severity of the disaster through undeclared censorship and with the support of government-aligned media. Finally, a two-member inquiry commission has been appointed to investigate the incident, and it has been decided to provide compensation of ten lakh rupees to the dependents of the deceased, two and a half lakh rupees to those with serious injuries, and one lakh rupees to those with minor injuries. Neither the Prime Minister, who holds supreme authority, nor the ministers concerned have been willing to take responsibility for the disaster caused by lapses in the railway management system or to announce any follow-up measures. The state administration, including the Lieutenant Governor, has adopted an approach of downplaying the gravity of the tragedy under the guise of false pride.
The massive disaster was caused by overcrowding on the footbridge connecting platforms 14 and 15 at the New Delhi railway station. The railway’s preliminary assessment suggests that the chaos ensued when passengers, who had gathered at the station at night to board the Prayagraj Express, heard the announcement of a special train arranged by the railway to accommodate the rush and then hurriedly moved from platform 14 to platform 12. This is yet another instance proving that the government, which with fanfare promotes the Kumbh Mela as the "greatest festival of the century" with widespread publicity, has utterly failed to implement adequate security measures and related arrangements. On January 29, a stampede in Prayagraj resulted in the deaths of 30 people and left 60 others injured. At that time, discussions primarily centered on mismanagement and organizational failures. The disaster that occurred just two weeks since then reinforces the fact that the assurances given by the authorities regarding safety were meaningless. Warnings had already circulated on social media hours in advance when the booking limit for unreserved train tickets was exceeded. On the day of the disaster, 9,600 tickets were sold through the app, even though the usual limit for general tickets was 7,000. Despite the shadow of a previous disaster, there was no effective crowd control mechanism at the railway station, which was flooded with thousands of passengers. The long delays of two or three other trains departing from the platforms designated for Prayagraj pilgrims further highlight the inadequacy of railway control systems.
In 2014, the National Disaster Management Authority issued clear guidelines on crowd management to state governments, local administrations, and even organizers of large-scale events. These guidelines emphasize the need for a coordinated and well-structured comprehensive action plan in such matters. However, the failure of the railway department - under the very central government that formulated these disaster management guidelines - culminated in the tragedy at the Delhi railway station. The central government, which stresses awareness at lower levels that the lack of professionalism in implementing procedures is the root cause of all failures, has itself displayed complete mismanagement in its official disclosures and responses following the disaster. The initial assessment by the central government downplayed the incident as a 'minor event.' Even now, official channels fail to offer concrete solutions for preventing future disasters. There are still days ahead, including the auspicious bath on Shivaratri on February 26, when large crowds are expected. The causes and extent of the disasters that have occurred must be thoroughly analyzed, clear decisions made, and the police and security systems restructured to close the gaps. The government must educate the public on how to navigate crisis situations and stay alert to prevent the recurrence of disasters. However, the authorities are focused not on seeking emergency solutions, but on ensuring that the scale of the disaster remains hidden from the public. Thus, when the disaster management systems and authorities themselves become another disaster, who will save the people?
