New Delhi: A day after 18 people were killed in a stampede at the New Delhi railway station, tight security measures have been put in place by the authorities. People are prohibited from loitering on the foot overbridge without any reason, an official told PTI. The Centre will also reportedly build permanent holding zones with colour-coded sections for 60 stations designated as 'high-traffic railway stations, reported NDTV.
Apart from this, security personnel have also been deployed from platform number 16 to platform number 13 to monitor train coaches. Additional personnel from the Delhi Police along, with the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) have been deployed to monitor the rush.
"We have seen several people waiting or standing on the foot overbridge without any reason, causing delays for other passengers trying to reach different platforms. Now, no one will be allowed to stand on the foot overbridge without a valid reason," a senior officer of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) told PTI.
The officer also told the news agency that many trains heading toward Prayagraj will be monitored and teams will also check the number of people on the platforms to avoid any stampede-like situation.
Authorities will also use artificial intelligence (AI) to control the crowd, reported India Today quoting sources.
"From platform number 16 to platform number 13, we have deployed security personnel to monitor every train coach and manage heavy rush. Besides that, emergency response teams will be on standby in case of any requirement," said the officer.
Barricades have also been set up to avoid stampede-like situations. "We have set up barricades, intensified patrolling and deployed quick reaction teams to prevent any further incident. CCTV surveillance has also been enhanced, with control rooms monitoring real-time footage for crowd control," the officer said.
On Saturday, 18 people lost their lives in a stampede that occurred at around 10 pm. The incident took place when a large number of passengers, confused by a mix-up in train announcements, rushed towards platform 16 via a narrow stairway.
