{"id":325170,"date":"2025-01-30T17:00:17","date_gmt":"2025-01-30T11:30:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/?p=325170"},"modified":"2025-02-04T10:24:38","modified_gmt":"2025-02-04T04:54:38","slug":"stampede-disaster-and-its-management-in-india-explained-pointwise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/stampede-disaster-and-its-management-in-india-explained-pointwise\/","title":{"rendered":"Stampede Disaster and its Management in India- Explained Pointwise"},"content":{"rendered":"

Recently, a stampede occurred at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj<\/span>, Uttar Pradesh, on January 29, resulting in 30 deaths and over 60 injuries. This is not the first time when a large number of people have lost their lives in a stampede at a religious gathering. This is the third such incident in recent months<\/span> and highlights India\u2019s recurring issue of fatalities during religious gatherings.\u00a0 79% of all stampedes in India from 1954-2012<\/span> have taken place in religious mass gatherings<\/span>.<\/p>\n

This calls for a detailed look into the issue of Stampede Disaster and the measures needed to be taken to manage it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Table of Content<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
What is stampede? What are the infamous stampede cases in India?\u00a0<\/a>
\nWhat are the major causes of Stampedes in India?<\/a>
\nWhat are the Impact of these Stampedes?<\/a>
\nWhat are the NDMA Guidelines for the prevention of Stampedes in India?<\/a>
\nWhat are the Challenges in the implementation of these Guidelines?<\/a>
\nWhat Should be the Way Forward?<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/a>What is stampede? What are the infamous stampede cases in India?\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Stampede-<\/strong> Stampede is the disruption of the orderly movement of crowds<\/span> which leads to injuries and fatalities. This impulsive mass movement of crowd<\/span> often takes place in response to a perceived danger<\/span>, loss of physical space<\/span> or a will to attain something as gratifying<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Process of a Stampede<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Stampede
Source- NDMA Disaster Guidelines<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Some Notable Deadly Stampede Disasters in India<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Allahabad Kumbh Mela Stampede (1954)<\/strong><\/td>\nIt is the most fatal Kumbh Mela stampede in history. It resulted in the loss of around 800 lives<\/span>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Wai Stampede (2005)<\/strong><\/td>\nThe stampede at the Mandhardevi temple<\/span> in Maharashtra\u2019s Satara district resulted in the death of 340 people<\/span>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Naina Devi Temple Stampede (2008)<\/strong><\/td>\nRumors of landslide started the stampede at the Naina Devi Temple in 2008<\/span>. It resulted in the death of atleast 145 people<\/span> which included dozens of women and children.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Jodhpur Temple Stampede (2008)<\/strong><\/td>\nThe stampede at the Chamunda Devi Temple<\/span> resulted in the death of at least 168 people<\/span>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Allahabad Railway Stampede (2013)<\/strong><\/td>\nLast-minute change in the platform for the pilgrims who had gathered for the Khumbh Mela, created panic and resulted in a stampede. It led to the loss of around 36 lives<\/span>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Mumbai pedestrian bridge Stampede (2017)<\/strong><\/td>\nThe stampede at the crowded Pedestrian Bridge connecting the two Mumbai railway stations resulted in the death of 22 people<\/span> and injured 32.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Mata Vaishnav Devi shrine (2022)<\/strong><\/td>\nThe Stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine resulted in the death 22 people<\/span> and injured 32.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Hathras Stampede (2024)<\/strong><\/td>\nDuring a religious gathering in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras district on July 2, 2024, at least 121 people (almost all women) lost their lives.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
<\/div>\n
Stampede Statistics In India<\/strong><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
According to the National Crime Records Bureau figures<\/span>, from 2000 to 2013, almost 2,000 people died in stampedes in India<\/span>.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
A 2013 study published by International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction (IJDRR) points out that religious gathering and pilgrimages have been venues for 79% of the stampedes in India<\/span>.<\/div>\n
\"Stampede
Source-TOI<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

<\/a>What are the major causes of Stampedes in India?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Structural Causes<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The stampedes occur due to structural and design failures in the buildings, bridges etc. This includes the following causes-
\n(a) Structural collapse<\/span> of makeshift bridges, railings, temporary structures
\n(b) Improper and unauthorised built structures<\/span>
\n(c) Railings of the bridge collapsing<\/span> due to panic triggered by rumours
\n(d) Difficult terrain<\/span> (famous religious sites built on top of hills that are difficult to access)
\n(e) Narrow streets<\/span> with very few entry\/exits
\n(f) Absence of emergency exits<\/p>\n

Fire\/Electricity causes<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

This includes the following causes-
\n(a) Fire in a makeshift facility<\/span> or a shop<\/span>, and illegal and unauthorised structure
\n(b) Non-availability of fire extinguishers<\/span> in working condition
\n(c) Building and fire code violations<\/span>, unauthorized fireworks in enclosed places
\n(d) Electricity supply failure creating panic<\/span> and triggering a sudden exodus
\n(e) Illegal electric connections<\/span> and faulty electric equipment<\/p>\n

Crowd Behaviour<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The stampedes are either triggered or made worse by panic. Crowd behaviour plays an important role in it<\/span>. Following are some crowd behaviour causes-
\n(a) Craze- In large group settings, this “craze” percolates to every member and can make them act in detriment to their own individual interests. For ex-<\/strong> One of the major causes behind the recent Hathras Stampede<\/span> has been the rush to touch the preacher\u2019s feet and trying to collect soil from where he walked.
\n(b) Crowds forcing to entrance\/exits<\/span> a venue after the start\/closing time
\n(c) Rush during distribution<\/span> of disaster relief supplies
\n(d) A large<\/span> (much more than expected) anxious and competitive crowd<\/span> gathering at promotional events
\n(f) Unruly and irresponsible<\/span> crowd behaviour
\n(g) Last minute change in platform for train arrival\/departure<\/span> resulting in lots of movements within short period of time<\/p>\n

Security Issues<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

This includes:
\n(a) Security Personnel<\/strong>
\n(i) Under deployment of security staff<\/span> and deployment of untrained staff
\n(ii) Lack of adequate rehearsals<\/span> and briefing of security personnel on crowd control
\n(iii) Lack of adequate scientific planning<\/span> in making police arrangement to deal with crowd with proper sectoral deployment, and lack of proper wireless deployment
\n(iv) Ineptitude of the police<\/span> in effectively managing the crowd and enforcing prohibitory orders
\n(b) Surveillance<\/strong>
\n(i) Lack of adequate observation towers<\/span> with proper wireless communication to monitor and regulate crowd
\n(ii) Lack of adequate CCTV surveillance<\/span> of the crowd
\n(iii) Absence of public announcement systems<\/span> or effective wireless system with the police;
\n(c) Infrastructure<\/strong>
\n(i) Lack of adequate road opening parties<\/span> to secure the routes
\n(ii) Lack of adequate metal detectors<\/span> and frisking of pilgrims entering the pilgrimage area or persons entering the gathering area<\/p>\n

Lack of Coordination between Stakeholders<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

This includes the following issues-
\n(a) Coordination gap between agencies<\/span> (e.g. Police and District Magistrate; PWD, Fire Service, Forest officials, Revenue officials, Medical officers etc.)
\n(b) Poor infrastructure<\/span> (Plans on paper but no implementation due to lack of funds, resources, or will)
\n(c) Inadequate water<\/span>, medical assistance<\/span>, public transport<\/span>\/parking facilities
\n<\/span>(d) Communication delays<\/span>
\n(e) Vacant<\/span>\/late<\/span>\/delayed posting<\/span> of key personnel<\/p>\n

<\/a>What are the Impact of these Stampedes?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Stampedes at religious gatherings in India have significant impacts on local communities. Mentioned below are some of the major impacts.<\/p>\n

1. Trauma and Loss-<\/strong> Witnessing a stampede tragedy and the resultant deaths and injuries causes immense trauma, especially for those who lost loved ones<\/span>. For ex-<\/strong> Deadly stampede killing 121 people in Hathras.<\/p>\n

2. Economic Hardship-<\/strong> The majority of victims in such stampedes come from lower castes and poor backgrounds<\/span>. Their deaths leave families without primary breadwinners<\/span>, causing economic hardship in the community. Also the cost of funerals and medical expenses<\/span> further strain already limited resources.<\/p>\n

3. Erosion of Trust-<\/strong> Repeated stampedes at Indian religious festivals due to similar failures further undermine faith in the ability of organizers to keep devotees safe<\/span>. For ex-<\/strong> Gross negligence<\/span> like poor planning<\/span>, with insufficient exits<\/span>, inadequate crowd control<\/span>, and lack of emergency preparedness<\/span>, by organizers and authorities erodes trust in religious institutions.<\/p>\n

4. Loss of Social and Human Capital-<\/strong> Many young children and women are the victims<\/span> of these stampede tragedies. This leads to loss of the productive social and human capital<\/span> of the country.<\/p>\n

<\/a>What are the NDMA Guidelines for the prevention of Stampedes in India?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

In view of the recurring stampedes at places of mass gathering, including religious places, and typically ad-hoc responses to those, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has prepared \u2018Suggestive Framework for Preparation of Crowd Management Plan for Events\/Venues of Mass Gathering<\/span>\u2019.<\/p>\n

\"Stampede
Source- NDMA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Understanding venue, visitors and stakeholders<\/strong><\/td>\nIt requires understanding of-
\na. Type of event<\/span> (such as religious, schools\/ university, sports event, music event, political event)
\nb. Expected Crowd<\/span> (age, gender, economic strata)
\nc. Crowd Motives<\/span> (such as social, academic, religious, entertainment, economic etc.)
\nd. Venue<\/span> (location, topography of area, temporal or permanent, open or closed)
\ne. Role of other stake holders<\/span> (such as NGOs, neighbours of event venue, local administrators etc.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Crowd Handling<\/strong><\/td>\na. Proper regulation of Traffic<\/span> around the mass gathering venues.
\nb. A route map for venues along with emergency exits route maps<\/span>.
\nc. Barricade facility<\/span> to control the movement of crowd queues.
\nd. Snake line approach<\/span> should be followed in case large crowd queues
\ne. The organizers of crowded events\/venue managers should discourage general admissions and have plans to handle VIP visitors<\/span>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Safety and Security<\/strong><\/td>\na. The venue Organisers should ensure authorised use of electricity<\/span>, use of fire safety extinguishers<\/span> as per the safety guidelines.
\nb. Use of CCTV cameras<\/span> to monitor crowds and use of mini UAV<\/span> in case of big crowd spread.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Communication<\/strong><\/td>\nA public address system<\/span>, with loudspeakers installed at all crowded points, to communicate with the crowds.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Medical and Emergency care<\/strong><\/td>\nMedical first-aid rooms<\/span> and emergency operations centres<\/span> to handle post-disaster emergencies should be set up<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Role of Event Managers<\/strong><\/td>\nThe event organizers and venue managers should develop, implement<\/span>, review<\/span> and revise<\/span> the disaster management plan<\/span> in coordination with others including local administration and police.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Role of Civil society<\/strong><\/td>\nEvent\/venue managers should involve NGOs<\/span> and civil defence<\/span> in traffic control<\/span>, people flow control<\/span>, medical assistance<\/span>, sanitation<\/span> and mobilization of local resources<\/span> in case of disaster.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Role of police<\/strong><\/td>\nThe police should actively participate in venue assessment<\/span> and preparedness checks<\/span> and guide crowd<\/span> and traffic movements<\/span>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Role of Media<\/strong><\/td>\n(a) Educational-<\/span> Media can educate public about the possible disaster threats<\/span>, ways to prevent them and how to be better prepared in the face of a disaster
\n(b) Critical-<\/span> Media can critically evaluate the disaster management plans<\/span> to highlight the gaps for correction;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Capacity Building<\/strong><\/td>\nCapacity building, conduction of drills, periodic assessment of training of security personnel, police is essential to prevent crowd disasters<\/span><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Use of ICT in Stampede Management<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Role
Source- NDMA Guidelines for ICT use in Disaster Management<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

<\/a>What are the Challenges in the implementation of these Guidelines?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

1. Lack of adoption and implementation-\u00a0<\/strong>The state governments and local authorities have not yet properly implemented the NDMA guidelines<\/span> on crowd management.<\/p>\n

2. Rapidly rising population-<\/strong> With rising population and rapid urbanization, urban areas have become more susceptible along with places of frequent mass gatherings like temples<\/span>.<\/p>\n

3. Greater tolerance to crowd-<\/strong> According to several psychologists, there is very high tolerance for crowded places in India, because Indians don\u2019t feel uncomfortable until it\u2019s very packed<\/span>. Hence, large-scale events in India become more susceptible to stampedes<\/span> because of a greater tolerance for high-density crowds.<\/p>\n

4. Governance and accountability-<\/strong>\u00a0 Agencies responsible for issuing permissions\/ licences for mass gatherings, events often fail to follow the guidelines and the requirements<\/span>. Further, there is lack of accountability on part of the authorities.<\/p>\n

<\/a>What Should be the Way Forward?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

1. Legislation, Rules and Regulations for Stampedes-<\/strong> Supreme Court in Uphaar Cinema Tragedy<\/span> observed that there is a need for a comprehensive legislation dealing with tortuous liability of the State<\/span>.<\/p>\n

2. Specialisation and Professionalism-<\/strong> India needs to emphasize effective communication<\/span>, sensitive on-ground interventions<\/span>, specialized personnel training<\/span>, safety insurance<\/span>, online customer feedback system<\/span>, transparency<\/span>, statutory compliances<\/span> and professionalism<\/span>, to maintain the decorum of the crowd in huge events.<\/p>\n

3. Use of technology-<\/strong> Latest technology such as CCTV surveillance with HD IP cameras with VMS<\/span> (Video Management Software), mobile control room<\/span>, drones for roof level surveillance<\/span> and public address system, face recognition among crowds and robotic support<\/span> should be deployed extensively in crowded places.<\/p>\n

4. Capacity Evaluation-<\/strong> There should be proper evaluation of the capacity of a location or structure<\/span> before holding mass gatherings. Existing infrastructural problem should be addressed to avoid mishaps.<\/p>\n

5. Crowd Behaviour Management-<\/strong> Every mass event must have a public address system<\/span> for the officials to stop rumours<\/span> from getting out of hand, calm panicking crowds<\/span>, and help people exit in a systematic manner<\/span>.<\/p>\n

6. Penalties-<\/strong> Stricter penalties<\/span>, revocation of licenses for construction\/fire safety violations<\/span>, random checks and inspections<\/span>, must be adopted ensure effective compliance.<\/p>\n

7. Engaging Civil Society-<\/strong> The Local Civilian Organisations like NGOs must be actively engaged in the event for capacity building of event managers<\/span> etc, for easy mobilization of local resources, better preparedness and traffic control.<\/p>\n

8. Learning from Global Best Practices-<\/strong> The learnings from Global Best Practices in Crowd Management must be adopted for effective management of Stampedes in India. For ex-<\/strong> Crowd management during Haj Pilgrimage in Makkah<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Read More- The Indian Express<\/a>
\nUPSC Syllabus- GS 3 Disaster Management<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Recently, a stampede occurred at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, on January 29, resulting in 30 deaths and over 60 injuries. This is not the first time when a large number of people have lost their lives in a stampede at a religious gathering. This is the third such incident in recent months… Continue reading Stampede Disaster and its Management in India- Explained Pointwise<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10357,"featured_media":325689,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[130],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-325170","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-7-pm","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Stampedes.png?fit=590%2C540&ssl=1","views":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/325170","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10357"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=325170"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/325170\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/325689"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=325170"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=325170"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=325170"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}