MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS ( SHRI R. VELU )
(a)&(b): Yes, Sir. On 03-10-2007, at about 12.30 hrs train No.531 Up Buxar-Mughalsarai
Passenger arrived at platform no. 5 and at about 12.45 hrs train no. 709 Up Gaya-
Mughalsarai Passenger arrived at Platform No.6 of Mughalsarai Railway Station. In
the meantime, at about 12.45 hrs train No.2 FM (Faizabad - Mughalsarai Passenger)
also arrived at Platform No.4 of Mughalsarai Railway station. A large number of
women devotees on the way to Varanasi to take a holy dip on the occasion of JYUTIA
got down at Mughalsarai station from 531 Up Buxar-Mughalsarai Passenger and 709 Up
Gaya-Mughalsarai Passenger. In addition, a large number of passengers also assembled
at these platforms to catch trains going towards Gaya, Buxar and Varanasi.
On seeing train No.2 FM (Faizabad-Mughalsarai Passenger) reaching on Platform No.4, the
women who had to go to Varanasi started climbing the stairs of foot over bridge (Delhi end)
to reach Platform No.4. On the other hand, the passengers who wanted to board Mughalsarai -
Gaya, Mughalsarai - Buxar Passenger trains started coming down by using the same stairs.
This led to overcrowding on the stairs of foot over bridge connecting Platforms No.5 & 6.
The ensuing confusion among passengers, led to stampede on the stairs of the foot over bridge.
As a result, 62 women and 03 minor became unconscious due to suffocation and injuries.
In this incident of stampede at Mughalsarai railway station on the 3rd October, 2007;
15 persons lost their lives, while 12 persons sustained grievous injury and 39 persons
sustained simple injury.
(c): Compensation is paid only after a decree is awarded on the claim filed in this regard in
the Railway Claims Tribunal. So far, no claim has been filed. However, the following
amount of ex-gratia has been paid to the victims of the incident by the Railway
Administration:-
(i) Rs.15,000/- has been paid to the kins of each of the deceased persons after postmortem.
(ii) Rs. 5,000/- has been paid to each of 12 grievously injured persons.
(iii) Rs. 500/- has been paid to each of 39 simply injured persons.
In addition. Hon’ble Minister for Railways has enhanced amount of Ex-gratia to Rs. 2 lakh
per head in case of death.
(d): A Committee consisting of Chief Commercial Manager (PS), Chief Medical Director/ East
Central Railway and Sr. Divisional Security Commissioner/Railway Protection Force,
Mughalsarai / East Central Railway, has been constituted to conduct enquiry into the
incident. The enquiry by the above Committee is under progress.
(e): Following steps are being taken to avert such incidents of over crowding and stampede:
# Better crowd management practice like effective use of Public Address System and Electronic
Surveillance System (wherever available).
# Decongestion of platforms by shifting commercial activities to concourse area.
# Abolition of platform tickets especially during festival seasons to avert sudden crowd build
up and stampede in passenger area.
# Running of special trains from different stations especially in Metropolitan Cities like
Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata etc. during festivals.
# Nomination of specific platforms for important trains especially at originating stations.
# Deployment of Home Guards, volunteers from NGOs, Civil Defence personnel, Scouts & Guides,
etc. during peak rush season to assist Railway Protection Force and Government Railway
Police in crowd management.
