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Ambulances marque mode astatine Maha Kumbh Mela aft a stampede astatine Sangam ghat connected Mauni Amavasya successful Prayagraj connected January 29, 2025. (Express photograph by Chitral Khambhati)
Jan 30, 2025 11:28 IST First published on: Jan 30, 2025 astatine 11:27 IST
At the Maha Kumbh mela astatine Prayagraj, a sorrowful calamity unfolded connected the auspicious juncture of Mauni Amavasya. Having been intimately associated with this expansive lawsuit — archetypal arsenic the SP metropolis successful 1989, past arsenic SSP successful 1995, and yet arsenic DGP during the 2019 Kumbh — I person witnessed firsthand the intricate challenges of managing what is undeniably the largest congregation of humanity connected earth. At the bosom of Kumbh mela’s operational occurrence lies not conscionable assemblage absorption but arsenic critically assemblage dispersal. The sheer measurement of devotees, moving arsenic a non-violent oversea of faith, demands a dual attack — 1 of continuous, delicate appeals combined with firm, accordant enforcement.
The complexity of controlling specified an tremendous gathering connected highest days is simply a formidable challenge, requiring meticulous pre-planning, real-time assessment, and swift execution of contingency measures. History has shown that adjacent insignificant deviations from pre-determined postulation and question plans tin escalate into crises. I callback a peculiar lawsuit successful 2019 when, connected the auspicious Mauni Amavasya day, a breach of one-way question connected Kali Marg doubly led to a near-stampede situation. Timely involution by elder constabulary officers and the implementation of an exigency postulation regularisation program helped avert disaster. One of the cardinal strategies was the constitution of 4 dedicated holding areas, each susceptible of accommodating 100,000 radical with a structured dispersal clip of 45 minutes. Such measures reenforce the cardinal rule that systematic movement, alternatively than uncontrolled congregation, is the cardinal to ensuring safety.
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People remainder adjacent the Ganga stream during Maha Kumbh Mela successful Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. (Express photograph by Chitral Khambhati)
The cornerstone of immoderate palmy Kumbh mela cognition is not conscionable the effectual regularisation of incoming crowds but, much crucially, the swift and systematic dispersal of devotees aft their beatified dip. A congregation of specified magnitude cannot spend stagnation. The longer a assemblage lingers successful a high-density zone, the greater the hazard of a crisis. The cardinal rule is simple: The faster the dispersal, the safer the congregation. Unfortunately, this calamity underscores the captious spread successful executing this, reinforcing the request for a much dynamic dispersal strategy that prioritises accelerated question without causing panic. The unfortunate incidental this twelvemonth raises pressing questions astir the execution of assemblage power strategies.
Reports suggest that a important fig of devotees took aggregate dips astatine Sangam successful speedy succession, starring to congestion that could person been mitigated with stricter crushed enforcement. Additionally, unchecked overnight camping astatine Sangam Nose earlier the auspicious bathing hours posed a latent hazard — 1 that should person been addressed done a operation of nationalist advisories and decisive action. Given that this Kumbh has been wide recognised arsenic a “Digital Kumbh”, with extended usage of drones and AI-based monitoring systems, it is imperative to analyse wherefore real-time assemblage density assessments failed to forestall the concern from escalating. The integration of exertion into assemblage absorption should construe into proactive, data-driven decision-making, enabling authorities to foresee and diffuse imaginable bottlenecks earlier they go unmanageable.
As we bespeak connected this tragedy, the request for a much dynamic and adaptive attack to assemblage absorption becomes evident. Kumbh mela is not conscionable a trial of administrative acumen but besides of the quality to harmonise faith-driven gatherings with technological planning. While the devotion of millions cannot beryllium constrained, it indispensable beryllium channelled safely done structured movement, disciplined dispersal, and unwavering enforcement of regulations. Anything little is an invitation to disaster. And this is possibly what happened.
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Faith and governance indispensable enactment successful tandem. While devotion cannot beryllium controlled, it indispensable beryllium guided, structured and safeguarded with unwavering enforcement. The acquisition from this calamity is stark — managing the world’s largest congregation requires not conscionable meticulous readying but relentless execution of assemblage dispersal strategies. The existent occurrence of Kumbh lies not conscionable successful managing inflow but ensuring a harmless and seamless outflow.
The writer is erstwhile manager wide of Uttar Pradesh Police
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