The recent stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, which left over 30 people dead and several injured, is yet another stark reminder of the urgent need for better crowd management strategies at India’s mega religious gatherings. Billed as the world’s largest congregation of humanity, the Kumbh Mela poses enormous challenges to the authorities in multiple ways. Managing such events requires not just meticulous planning but relentless execution of crowd dispersal strategies. The tragedy also exposed the tall claims of the UP government which kept claiming that it was ready for the event. Further, there was a lack of transparency over the tragedy.
The UP government took a very long time to give the figures of death and injuries. The media is completely aligned with UP. The true success of the Kumbh Mela lies not just in managing inflow but ensuring a safe and seamless outflow. While devotion cannot be controlled, it must be guided, structured and safeguarded. The stampede on Mauni Amavasya, the biggest bathing day of the mela, raises questions about the execution of crowd control strategies. It appears that real-time crowd density assessments failed to prevent the situation from escalating. Clearly, something remains amiss in how these strategies are being executed on the ground. Kumbh, a once-in-a-12-year spectacle, draws tens of millions of devotees who come with deep spiritual faith. However, with such unprecedented footfall at the Kumbh, ensuring safety requires more than just faith.