NEW DELHI: In the wake of the tragic stampede that occurred at New Delhi station on Saturday, resulting in the loss of 18 lives, the railways has announced plans to establish 'holding areas' for passengers at 60 high-traffic stations, especially during events and festivals. Additionally, a crowd-management manual will be developed, and efforts will be made to educate the public on the importance of keeping stairs and pathways clear to ensure smooth passenger movement within stations.Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated on Monday that these temporary or permanent holding areas will be positioned outside platforms to help control the flow of passengers. Notable stations like New Delhi, Patna, Danapur, Arrah, Buxar, Varanasi, Surat, Bengaluru, and Coimbatore are among the targeted locations for these areas. "Access to platforms will be granted based on the scheduled departure times of trains to prevent overcrowding," he explained, citing the successful implementation of holding areas at stations in the Prayagraj region.Vaishnaw also mentioned that a comprehensive crowd management manual will be created by consolidating existing guidelines, along with a standard operating procedure designed to manage passenger surges during festivals and other special events. He emphasized the importance of educating passengers about the dangers of sitting on stairs or in areas that obstruct the flow of movement, noting that while fines cannot be imposed for such behavior, media campaigns can effectively convey the message.These measures come in light of claims from eyewitnesses that Saturday’s stampede was a result of crowd mismanagement, in contrast to railway officials' assertions that the crowd size was typical for New Delhi station. When questioned about any actions taken in response to the incident, Vaishnaw mentioned adhering to a principle of accountability, stating, "I have maintained a principle of ‘We Fail’. So far, we haven’t taken any action against officials as we await the inquiry committee’s findings, in accordance with the principle of natural justice."Regarding the timeline for the inquiry committee’s report, he indicated that no specific deadline has been set to avoid imposing undue pressure on its members. Furthermore, Vaishnaw announced that the railways would launch a special initiative across all stations in Delhi, inviting feedback and suggestions from a wide array of stakeholders, including hawkers, coolies, street vendors, auto and taxi unions, passengers, and police, to address and resolve ongoing issues effectively.