The Delhi High Court on Wednesday rejected a request to implead individuals who missed their train due to the February 15 stampede at New Delhi Railway Station as parties in a public interest litigation (PIL) concerning the incident. The bench, led by Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, instructed the affected parties to seek personal legal remedies for their grievances.
During the hearing, the counsel for the applicants argued that their clients, who had narrowly escaped the deadly stampede and subsequently missed their train, had unsuccessfully sought refunds for their tickets. However, the court clarified that these issues constitute personal grievances, which do not align with the broader objectives of the ongoing PIL.
“That is a personal cause of action. Take recourse to remedies under the law. Why should we permit you to intervene in this matter? It is a public interest litigation,” stated Chief Justice Upadhyaya. He emphasized that the PIL was focused on the implementation of legal provisions concerning crowd and passenger management at railway stations, which is unrelated to the compensation claims for missed trains.
The court also expressed concern that allowing such interventions would set a precedent leading to numerous similar personal claims, which could detract from the purpose of the PIL. “It will open a flood gate. We will not be doing justice to the case,” the bench remarked, suggesting that such matters could lead to personal tort claims rather than issues suitable for a PIL.
The tragic stampede on February 15, which occurred amidst a massive influx of passengers waiting to board trains to Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh, resulted in 18 fatalities and several injuries. The incident exposed severe mismanagement and administrative failures at one of India’s busiest railway stations.
Following the incident, the PIL filed by petitioner Arth Vidhi called attention to these administrative lapses and pushed for systemic changes to prevent similar tragedies in the future. On February 19, the court directed the Railways to consider setting maximum limits on passengers and the sale of platform tickets, significant issues raised in the PIL, and requested a detailed affidavit on the measures being implemented.
