Why in news?

A stampede at the Mahakumbh Mela in Allahabad on January 29 claimed several lives. UP CM attributed the tragedy to the overwhelming crowd gathering for Mauni Amavasya.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) had in 2014 published a report on crowd management at big events and prevention of stampedes. The report said, “Majority of the crowd disasters in India and developing countries have occurred at religious places.”

What’s in today’s article?

• Causes of Stampedes
• Role of Crowd Behaviour in Stampedes
• Past Stampede Incidents
• Proactive Planning for Crowd Control
• Importance of Infrastructure and Information in Crowd Control

Causes of Stampedes

• Stampedes can result from multiple factors, including structural weaknesses (poor barricading, weak guardrails, narrow exits, inadequate lighting), fire or electrical failures, poor crowd control, and lack of coordination among stakeholders.
• Failures in Crowd Control
  • The NDMA report highlights key reasons for crowd control failures, such as:
    • Underestimation of expected crowd size
    • Exceeding venue capacity
    • Limited holding areas before entry
    • Locked or closed exits
    • Weak railings and lack of queue management
    • Absence of sectoral partitions to regulate movement
• Consequences of Poor Management
  • Inadequate arrangements often trigger panic or excitement, leading to overcrowding or rapid movement.
  • This, in turn, results in crushing, suffocation, and trampling.
  • The report identifies compressive asphyxia as the leading cause of fatalities in such disasters.

Role of Crowd Behaviour in Stampedes

• Understanding crowd behaviour is crucial for preventing stampedes.
• The actions of a few individuals can influence many, sometimes leading to panic or disorder.
• A community-based approach to crowd control is more effective than force-based methods.
• Impact of Overcrowding
  • At many events, demand exceeds available space, leading to overcrowding.
  • To manage this, input control—such as restricting entry through a mandatory registration process—can help regulate the crowd.
• Risks of Poor Crowd Management
  • Long wait times may prompt individuals to climb fences, causing others to follow and leading to congestion in another area.
  • Additionally, poorly executed control measures, such as police chasing unruly groups toward an incoming crowd, can create dangerous collisions, worsening the situation.

Past Stampede Incidents

• The NDMA report references several past stampedes, including:
  • Nashik Kumbh (August 2003): 29 pilgrims died due to overcrowding at barricades, sudden reverse crowd flow, sadhus moving in procession with pilgrims, and unforeseen influx of pilgrims at various points.
  • Kalubai Yatra Mandhardevi (January 2005): 293 people were killed due to wrong crowd estimates, inadequate temple space, narrow, slippery paths with illegal vendors, lack of safety measures, and poor infrastructure.
• Causes Identified in Investigations
  • Nashik Kumbh: The stampede was triggered by crowd pressure at barricades and the unplanned movement of pilgrims and sadhus.
  • Kalubai Yatra: Causes included inaccurate crowd estimates, narrow paths, illegal activities, lack of safety and medical facilities, and poor coordination between stakeholders.

Proactive Planning for Crowd Control

• The NDMA report stresses that most stampedes can be avoided with proactive planning and effective execution. It outlines a holistic approach that includes:
  • Controlling the crowd inflow
  • Regulating the crowd within the venue
  • Managing the crowd outflow
• Understanding Demand and Supply
  • To manage demand, authorities must analyze:
    • Historical crowd data
    • Arrival patterns and peak times (e.g., festivals, holidays)
    • Advance registration and ticketing systems
    • Public transport schedules
  • For supply management, the venue's capacity must be calculated to avoid overcrowding.
• Role of Online Registration
  • Examples from Vaishnodevi and Sabarimala show that online registration can help manage crowd arrivals and influence patterns.
• Dealing with Limited Supply Capacity
  • In places where increasing supply is not feasible due to religious beliefs or geography, authorities should focus on making waiting times more comfortable for visitors.

Importance of Infrastructure and Information in Crowd Control

• The report highlights the need for adequate infrastructure for crowd management at religious sites.
• It recommends setting up staging points for visitors, equipped with necessary facilities like rest areas, food, water, and hygiene. These points should be monitored effectively.
• The report also emphasizes the role of information management and the need for effective dissemination of information to guide visitors and maintain order.