Vadodara: In response to the tragic incident at Delhi Railway Station where 18 lives were lost in a stampede, the Vadodara Railway Station has implemented new crowd management measures. The changes are particularly aimed at managing the anticipated surge of passengers during the upcoming Holi festival.

The incident at Delhi Railway Station on February 15th, during the Maha Kumbh pilgrimage to Prayagraj, saw a massive rush of devotees attempting to board trains. This resulted in a deadly stampede due to a last-minute platform change announcement and train cancellations.

Taking lessons from this tragedy, the Railway has formed a committee to investigate the causes and prevent similar incidents. In Vadodara, as a precautionary measure, the platforms for two major trains have been changed:

• The Bandra Terminus-Barauni Express (Avadh Express), previously arriving at Platform 3, will now arrive at Platform 6.
• The Ekta Nagar-Nizamuddin Express, previously arriving at Platform 4, will also now arrive at Platform 6.

This decision has been made to distribute the passenger load more evenly and to provide more space for passengers, especially during the Holi festival when a significant number of people travel to their home states, particularly Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

“The aim is to prevent overcrowding and ensure smoother passenger flow,” said a Railway official. “By moving these trains to Platform 6, we can better manage the crowds and avoid any potential accidents.”

The Railway has also taken into account the large gatherings of passengers that occur after train cancellations or last-minute platform changes, which were contributing factors in the Delhi incident.