Monday, May 24, 2010

Protest against Stampede at New Delhi Railway Station on May 17. 2010

I have filed a complaint against Railway officials responsible for stampede at New Delhi Railway Station on May 17th, at GOI public grievance site.

http://pgportal.gov.in/

I have had qualified success with this site regarding my complaint about train not being cleaned at Howrah Railway Station and TTE taking bribe to seat people in AC Chair car even though they did not have AC Chaircar tickets. This happened during my December 2009 visit to India.

I filed complaint in January end and got a reference no. I got an email from PR officer from Eastern railway,Howrah stating that cleaning work was outsourced to a private company and that company has been fined. Railway is yet to respond to my 2nd query about TTE taking bribe to seat people in AC chair car.

However, this episode has made me have some faith in system that, at least, people would be heard.

So, I went ahead and filed a complaint with Railways at http://pgportal.gov.in/

My complain is as follows and I would request you all to spare 10 mins to file another complaint about the same.

Please forward this email to all.

------------ COMPLAINT TEXT Follows -------------


I am appalled to see this news about irreplaceable loss of lives due to an avoidable stampede at New Delhi Railway Station, on 17th May, 2010, in Times of India.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/2-killed-in-New-Delhi-railway-station-stampede/articleshow/5938378.cms

What bothers me most is that Railway Station Authorities at New Delhi, announced the change of Platform very late and then brought the trains to railway station, only 20 minutes before departure. In case of Sapta Kranti Express, it was brought to platform only 10 minutes before the departure.

Anyone who has traveled from Delhi to East Bound trains to Bihar/Bengal, knows very well that there is heavy rush of passengers and it is worse in Summer.

Then, how is it possible that Railway Station authorities did not know of this and went ahead of switch of platform? Similar tragic accidents have occurred in Past at New Delhi Railway station and we have still not learn our lesson.

It is my humble request to you to institute a judicial inquiry into this incident and publish the findings so that Common man can also know the reasons.

All the steps should be taken to punish those who are responsible for this ghastly crime against innocent and hapless train passengers from New Delhi to Bihar.

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