Why Station Entrance from Ajmeri Gate is Always Packed

The Ajmeri Gate Terminal of the New Delhi Railway Station is notorious for its near-constant rush, and has even seen stampedes in the recent past, owing to its direct connectivity to the Delhi Metro and a more expansive parking area.

- Paras Singh and Jasjeev Gandhiok

NEW DELHI:

At least 18 deaths and 15 injuries were reported, showcasing no lessons have been learnt from past incidents, locals and officials said.

On Saturday night, a foot overbridge (FOB) connecting platforms 14 and 15 became the epicentre of a deadly stampede that killed 18 people. Vendors, frequent passengers, and officials said platforms 12 through 16—on the Ajmeri Gate side—have long been the busiest and have even witnessed stampedes before.

In 2012, two people died in a stampede on Platform 12. A similar incident in 2010 exposed the systemic flaws that make Ajmeri Gate more crowded than Paharganj, which serves platforms 1 to 8.