IAS/UPSC Coaching Institute  

03 Nov 2025 : Depressing pattern

Editorial 2: ​​Depressing pattern

Context

A gap between guidance and action can lead to a crowd crush.

 

Introduction

The Srikakulam crowd collapse highlights India’s ongoing struggle with unsafe public gatherings. Despite existing NDMA and National Building Code (NBC) guidelines, many events ignore basic safety standards. Repeated stampedesat temples and fairs reveal the same pattern—poor planning, weak infrastructure, and no real-time monitoring, proving that the gap between rules and reality remains deadly.

The Srikakulam Tragedy

  • The crowd collapse in Srikakulam happened at a private, unregistered temple.
  • The tragedy occurred on a high-footfall day, making it predictable.
  • Main Failures:
    • Single combined gate: Used for both entry and exit.
    • Unsafe area: Public allowed in an under-construction zone.
    • Lack of stewarding: Very few trained volunteers to guide the crowd.
    • Overcapacity: Number of visitors far exceeded safe limits.
    • Weak infrastructure: No certified load-bearing structures or safety checks.

Other Major Crowd Disasters

  • Hathras (2024):
    • Permission granted for only one-third of the crowd that came.
    • Poor exits and weak supervision caused chaos.
  • Sabarimala (2011):
    • Predictable surges ignored by authorities.
    • Narrow pathways and blocked circulation led to the crush.
  • Shared Causes Across Events:
    • Two-way pedestrian flow through the same gate.
    • Weak public infrastructure unable to handle pressure.
    • No real-time monitoring of crowd density.

The Gap Between Rules and Reality

  • India already has solid crowd-management codes:
    • NDMA Guidelines (2014) – focus on planning and control.
    • National Building Code (NBC) – defines safe structures and pathways.
  • Examples of Success:
    • Tirumala: Integrated Command and Control Centre manages crowds with live data.
    • Sabarimala (recent years): Licensed plans and trained stewards in action.

What Proper Practice Looks Like:

  • Licensed plans as per NDMA or NBC standards.
  • Calculated occupancy based on exits and space.
  • Certified structures that prevent two-way jams.
  • Trained stewards using live crowd data.
  • Real-time communication and crowd analytics for quick response.
  • Persistent Problem: There remains a gap between guidance and enforcement, causing repeated stampedes.

The Way Forward for Religious Events

  • Nearly 80% of Indian stampedes happen at religious gatherings or pilgrimages.
  • Why This Happens:
    • No licence linkage: Events held without mandatory safety plans.
    • Wrong capacity estimates: Based on area, not exit time or egress rate.
    • Poor gating: Temporary or uncertified barricades accepted.
    • Unsafe zones: Construction areas left open to the public.
  • Steps Needed:
    • Treat every religious gathering as an engineered system.
    • Make licensing and periodic audits compulsory.
    • Enforce NDMA and NBC standards in every large event.
    • Build a policy culture of safety, not just reaction.
  • Goal: Only disciplined planning and real enforcement can stop another Srikakulam-like tragedy.

 

Conclusion

Most stampedes in India are not accidents but failures of enforcement. The Srikakulam tragedy shows the urgent need for licensed, audited, and engineered event management. Every religious gathering must follow NDMA and NBC codes with trained stewards and live crowd control. Only a culture of discipline and accountability can ensure that public faith celebrations never turn fatal again.