Falling off the tracks again

New Delhi stampede underscores the need for better crowd control during events like the Maha Kumbh

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The stampede that resulted in the death of at least 18 people at the New Delhi railway station on Saturday night was a tragedy waiting to happen, sparked by a combination of events both one-off and ubiquitous. The platform where the accident happened is always crowded. Indeed, a few hours after the stampede, it was again choked with people. Why? And why did the Railways think it was all right to sell far more general tickets than the train's capacity? Did the announcement of a change in the train's arrival, or delays in other trains departing from the platform contribute to the chaos? The initial reaction of the authorities was unconscionable — not very different from that to the stampede at Prayagraj last month. Denial, then an attempt to downplay the loss of lives (starkly highlighted by Delhi's lieutenant gove