Destination Prayagraj: Packed trains, jostling a daily scene at Lucknow station
Prayagraj faces chaos as pilgrims rush for Mahakumbh, with overcrowded trains and tight security at Lucknow's Charbagh station amid safety concerns.
Amid the huge Mahakumbh rush, Prayagraj seems a destination too far for the pilgrims eager for a tryst with the Sangam as passengers jostle to get to into trains in almost daily scenes of chaos at the Charbagh railway station in Lucknow. The day after the New Delhi railway station stampede, there was three-layer security comprising the Railway Protection Force, Government Railway Police and City Police, at the Charbagh station and other major railway stations in the city on Sunday. Senior police and railway officers were on their toes to manage the crowd.
Sample this. Around 9.20am, there was an announcement from the public address system at the Lucknow NR station: “Train number 04404 Kumbh Special travelling from Delhi to Phaphamau will arrive shortly at platform number 2.”
All of a sudden, a swarm of passengers started descending the railway overbridges while some took the underpass. A few adventurous passengers put the lives of their family at risk and crossed the tracks.
The train was packed. Passengers were seen inside even the luggage van. Elderly women and children sat in the washroom, both on Indian and western seats. The berths were already chock-a-block, leaving no space for hundreds waiting in Lucknow to board the train.
Anurag Chaubey, a passenger in the luggage van, said, “I boarded the train at Delhi around 10 pm (Saturday) and it took nearly 12 hours to reach Lucknow. I have no idea when this train will reach its destination and by when I will be able to reach the ghat and take a holy dip. I want to come back to Delhi on Monday morning to resume work because my office has not granted me leave.”
Ratika Choudhary, resident of Ghaziabad who was also in the luggage van, said the condition was pathetic and there was no one railway staff to look after passengers.
New Delhi-based Vijay Kumar, another passenger on the Kumbh Special train, said, “Lucky to survive the stampede in Delhi. I, along with many other passengers were in Delhi when the stampede occurred.”
Geeta Devi, 70, sat with other women inside the train washroom. “The toilet is stinking and filthy. There was no space,” she said.
Prayagraj Sangam Intercity Express (train no. 14210)
Around 9.45 am, there was another announcement that train no. 14210 Prayagraj Sangam-bound Intercity express will arrive shortly at platform number 3. It was late by 2 hours and 45 minutes and would depart at 10:30 am. Many passengers, both men and women, risked their lives, crossed the track and boarded the train while it was at platform number 4.
When the shuttle engine pulled this train to platform number 3, many passengers of the unreserved coach, who had already boarded the train (when it was at platform number 4) locked the door from inside to stop other passengers from getting onboard.
The railway police, however, got these locked doors opened.
Papiya and her younger sister Chandrima, who were at the station for three hours, said, “The Lucknow Intercity to Prayagraj was scheduled to leave at 7.35 am. We did not get a reserved seat in the AC chair car. So, we had to buy an unreserved ticket. There is no space in any of the coaches.”
Vande Bharat (train number 22549)
However, passengers travelling by Vande Bharat Express (train number 22549), either by chair car or executive chair car, were better off as only those with valid tickets boarded the train. The train arrived from Gorakhpur and Ayodhya and entered platform number 9.
Meanwhile, the station was guarded by RPF and GRP personnel. City police, too, joined hands with them. Multiple senior police officers, including joint commissioner of police (law and order) Amit Verma, deputy commissioner of police and central, Raveena Tyagi reached the Charbagh station to take stock of the crowd management.
Tyagi said, “Not just Charbagh, all major stations of the Lucknow area, including Gomti Nagar, Aishbagh, Lucknow city and Junction, are under high security to avert any untoward situation. The crowd is being controlled through CCTV footages and railway control room.”
ADG Railways Prakash D, who reached Charbagh railway station with other senior officers, said, “The security in railways is being managed jointly by RPF, UP GRP, railways and other security agencies. Out of total nine stations in Prayagraj, eight stations are operational. The passengers, after taking bath and coming to stations, are kept in the holding area and are being allowed to go to the platform and board trains only when they are vacant.”
GRP Charbagh inspector Dharamveer Singh said, “Cops are taking care of the announcement being made and we are managing the crowd along with GRP.”
Divisional railway manager, Northern Railway, Lucknow, S.M. Sharma held a meeting with additional divisional railway manager Sachin Verma and other officers of the division at the integrated command centre at Prayag Junction.
The DRM spoke about putting additional RPF and commercial personnel on duty at the stations of Prayag Junction, Phaphamau Junction, Varanasi Junction and Ayodhya.
“A plan making the movement of passengers smooth and not allowing extra crowd to gather is being made,” said Kuldeep Tiwari, senior divisional commercial manager, Northern Railway, Lucknow
The DRM jointly gave instructions to RPF, GRP, Rapid Action Team and (railway) commercial department personnel about smooth crowd management.
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