A tragic crowd collapse in Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh, at an unregistered temple led to several deaths.
Background
- India witnesses frequent stampedes, especially during religious festivals, pilgrimages, and temple gatherings.
- Despite having National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) guidelines (2014) and National Building Code (NBC), implementation remains weak.
Recent Incidents
- Srikakulam (2025): One entry-exit route, unsafe construction area used, inadequate crowd control.
- Hathras (2024): Crowd exceeded permitted limit; inadequate exits and supervision failures.
- Sabarimala (2011): Narrow pathways and poor circulation management triggered fatalities during peak footfall.
Key Issues
- Lack of licensing & oversight at religious locations
- Overcrowding beyond approved capacity
- Single entry-exit points & bidirectional movement
- Temporary barricades without safety certification
- Limited trained personnel for real-time monitoring
- Use of unsafe structures or under-construction areas
Root Causes
- Focus on available space instead of evacuation capacity & exit planning
- Poor gate management & crowd flow control
- No real-time crowd analytics or communication systems
- Weak enforcement despite guidelines
Best Practices Available in India
Examples exist where guidelines work effectively:
- Tirumala: Integrated Command & Control Centre managing density & flow
- Sabarimala recent seasons: Licensed plans, capacity calculation, barricade certification, trained stewards
Way Forward
- Mandatory licensing for religious events, tied to safety plans
- Enforcement of NDMA & NBC crowd-safety norms
- Real-time density monitoring & trained crowd stewards
- Certified barricades & controlled entry/exit routing
- Treat large gatherings as engineered public systems, not informal events
Conclusion:
Most stampedes are predictable and preventable. India must shift from reactive response to strict planning, licensing, and disciplined execution of crowd-safety standards to avoid recurring tragedies.
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