Stampede can be described as disruption of orderly movement of crowds leading to injuries and fatalities.
- Some examples of such disasters include Sabrimala stampede, 2011; Kalkaji temple’s platform collapse 2024, etc.
Causes and Triggers for Crowd Disasters
- Structural: Collapse of barricades, slippery roads, difficult terrain, etc. Example, five bridges collapsed in 9 days in Bihar in 2024.
- Fire/Electricity: Fire code violations, non-availability of fire extinguisher, etc. Example, Uphaar Cinema Fire in 1997 due to fire code violations.
- Under deployment of security personnel to regulate crowd, absence of CCTV, etc.
- Coordination gap between agencies (e.g. District Magistrate, Fire Service, etc.).
Crowd Management
- It means a public security practice in which crowds are managed to prevent the outbreak of crowd disasters, affrays, fights or riots etc.
NDMA Guidelines on Crowd Management
- Capacity Planning: Long Term Perspectives for infrastructure development should depend on popularity, periodicity of event, weather, terrain, local population etc.
- Local Government should establish safety codes by determining existing capacity and other essential attributes.
- Risk Analysis and Preparedness: Event organizers/planners conduct Failure Mode and Effect Analysis which involves rating every possible hazard.
- Information dissemination: Communicating with visitors and providing them with correct information.