The stampede at the New Delhi railway station which claimed two lives (May 17) was clearly the result of mismanagement by the railway staff. It was avoidable. That a switch of platforms was announced at the eleventh hour for the departure of two crowded trains leaving the station simultaneously was atrocious. The foot over bridges at busy railway stations serve as serious bottlenecks and should be phased out by redesigning railway stations.
J.N. Mahanty,
Puri
***
The ordeal of carrying luggage, ensuring the safety of children, climbing the over bridge in a hurry, and the problems of the sick, the aged and passengers travelling by unreserved coaches are not unknown to the railway authorities. The person responsible for the reckless act causing the stampede needs to be made accountable.
A.G. Rajmohan,
Anantapur
I remember how a few years ago, as I waited for the Guwahati-bound Rajdhani Express in the New Delhi railway station, an announcement was made a few minutes earlier to the departure that my train would leave from a platform other than the one from which it was scheduled to leave earlier. This caused a flutter and the plight of the aged, disabled, children and women was miserable. Those who benefited the most were porters who fleeced the passengers.
Sarat Ch Talukdar,
Guwahati
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In April last year, we were to catch the Puri-Howrah express at Bhubaneswar. After ascertaining the platform number, we discharged the porter and settled down. About five minutes before the train's arrival, an announcement was made that Prashanti Express which was running late would arrive at the platform on which we waited and our train would arrive on another platform. One can well imagine our plight.
On another occasion, we had a similar experience at Gorakhpur with a small difference. As we waited, there was an announcement before the train's arrival that it was to arrive on another platform. As we ran frantically and had climbed the foot over bridge halfway, we saw the train entering the platform it was originally scheduled to arrive on. As we ran back, there was not even an expression of regret by the railway authorities.
R. Sridhar,
Bangalore
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My husband and I had a harrowing experience at Thalassery. As we reached platform number 1 — where the Intercity Express usually comes in — it was announced that the train was arriving on platform number 2 that day. We — senior citizens — walked to the other platform by the overhead bridge. The train was late by about half-an-hour and there was a huge crowd waiting to board. Suddenly, there was an announcement that the train would arrive on platform number 1. There was a mad rush on the footbridge. As the crowd surged, shoving and pushing, it was announced again that the train was arriving on platform number 2. Thankfully, nothing untoward happened. As usual, the episode went unnoticed with no one made accountable for the lapse.
Saraswathy Ramakrishnan,
Chennai
