After the stampede at the Allahabad railway station, which killed 36 people and left as many injured, Railway Minister Pawan Bansal has announced the steps being taken by his department to handle the crowds from the Kumbh Mela. Below are the highlights:
- We are going to Allahabad now to take stock of the situation
- There are three 'snans' (holy days)
- For 10, 11, 12, 13 Feb - we had allocated 220 special trains
- After yesterday's incident we are providing more rakes, we are trying to cancel other trains to allot more trains
- I have made it abundantly clear that the foot overbridge did not collapse.
The entire Railway system of India ferries 2.3 crore people each day.
- Even if we have trains at 10-minute intervals at Allahabad, managing three crore people may not be possible
- We are offering AC second class passes to two of the victims' relatives who want to go to Allahabad.