Stampede at New Delhi Railway Station leaves 16 dead, several injured
New Delhi: A tragic stampede at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday night resulted in the deaths of 16 people, including two children, and left several others injured. The incident occurred on platforms 14 and 15 after the cancellation of two trains bound for Prayagraj, triggering chaos among passengers.
The railway ministry has ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirmed that the rush had subsided and the situation was under control. He extended condolences to the victims' families and assured that relief efforts were underway.
Delhi’s caretaker Chief Minister Atishi visited LNJP Hospital, where several injured passengers were admitted. She stated that two MLAs were present at the hospital to support victims and their families.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Railway, KPS Malhotra, explained that the stampede was caused by an overwhelming influx of passengers. Due to delays in the Swatantrata Senani Express and Bhubaneswar Rajdhani, large crowds had gathered on platforms 12, 13, and 14. Additionally, 1,500 general tickets had been sold, making the crowd unmanageable.
The railway ministry, in a press release, stated that the sudden surge in passengers created panic, leading to people fainting in the "unprecedented rush situation." Rescue teams, including four fire tenders, were immediately dispatched to assist in relief operations.
Opposition leaders from the AAP and Congress have criticized the BJP-led central and Uttar Pradesh governments, alleging inadequate crowd control measures for passengers traveling from Prayagraj.
The ongoing Maha Kumbh pilgrimage has significantly increased passenger traffic at railway stations across India. Over 92.10 lakh devotees took a dip in the Sangam on Saturday, with more than 2.79 lakh passengers boarding trains from Prayagraj by 6 AM. On Friday alone, 10.47 lakh passengers traveled on 328 trains from Prayagraj.
Authorities are closely monitoring the situation, and additional special trains are being arranged to manage the massive influx of pilgrims and travelers.
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Noida airport to begin ops next month with IndiGo flights to Lucknow, Bengaluru
Noida (PTI): IndiGo on Thursday announced that it will start commercial flight operations from the Noida International Airport in Jewar from June 15, becoming the launch carrier for the greenfield airport in western Uttar Pradesh.
The first day flights will be to and fro Lucknow and Bengaluru, the airline said in a statement.
Noida International Airport was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 28.
IndiGo said it will be the first carrier to start commercial services from the airport, the third in the National Capital Region (NCR).
According to the airline, inaugural flights on June 15 will operate on the Lucknow-Noida-Bengaluru-Noida-Lucknow sector.
As per the announced schedule, flight 6E 2278 will depart from Lucknow at 7.05 am and arrive in Noida at 8.05 am before departing for Bengaluru at 8.35 am and landing there at 11.05 am.
The return flight, 6E 2279, will leave Bengaluru at 3.45 pm and reach Noida at 6.20 pm before departing for Lucknow at 6.55 pm and arriving there at 8 pm.
IndiGo said it will gradually introduce direct flights connecting Noida International Airport to more than 16 destinations across the country, including metro cities such as Bengaluru and Hyderabad, besides tier-2 and tier-3 cities like Amritsar, Chandigarh, Dharamsala, Jaipur, Lucknow, Navi Mumbai, Pantnagar and Srinagar.
The airline said bookings for the flights are being opened in phases through its website, mobile application and authorised travel partners.
Aloke Singh, Chief Strategy Officer of IndiGo, said the airline was pleased to announce the launch of operations from Noida International Airport.
"Strategically positioned on the Yamuna Expressway, Noida International Airport will be the new gateway for western Uttar Pradesh alongside the NCR. As we continue to expand our operations, we remain committed to delivering affordable, on-time and hassle-free travel experiences," Singh said.
IndiGo said the airport is expected to emerge as a major domestic aviation hub and will strengthen connectivity between Delhi-NCR and western Uttar Pradesh through integrated road and rail infrastructure.
