Hi Friends,

Even as I launch this today ( my 80th Birthday ), I realize that there is yet so much to say and do. There is just no time to look back, no time to wonder,"Will anyone read these pages?"

With regards,
Hemen Parekh
27 June 2013

Now as I approach my 90th birthday ( 27 June 2023 ) , I invite you to visit my Digital Avatar ( www.hemenparekh.ai ) – and continue chatting with me , even when I am no more here physically

Tuesday, 28 January 2025

Maha-Kumbh Stampede : - a Suggestion Ignored

 

 

Even as I am watching TV – and Yogi Adityanathji is conducting a “ high level meeting “ ( at 9 am on 29th Jan 2025 ), news about number of deaths due to last night’s stampede, are pouring in

Deaths which were totally avoidable , had the UP Government implemented a suggestion I sent on 25th Aug 2018 , through my following email :

Ø  The Greatest Show on Earth

 

-           Where I wrote :

“    In 1990 ,  some 1400 pilgrims died in Haj stampede

     On 23 Sept 2015 , some 770 pilgrims died in a stampede

But as far as  KUMBH- 2019  is concerned , we have following considerations :

      Because of expected crowd of 120 million pilgrims, threat of a stampede are far greater / real

      We have an opportunity to provide to Foreign Visitors , such an enjoyable / happy / fun experience that the Kumbh Mela site becomes a YEAR ROUND attraction, drawing 15 million Foreign Visitors in 2019 to India ( as compared to 10 million who visited in 2017 and brought in $ 27 million of exchange )

To achieve these goals , I urge Shri Yogi Adityanathji [ CM – UP ] and Shri V K Anand [ Kumbh Mela Adhikari ] , to consider the following precautionary SAFETY measures to prevent a stampede :

METHOD  A  [  HORIZONTAL  CONVEYORS  ] :

 Horizontally running escalators on ground level ( like Conveyor Belts ) , to bring the

pilgrims from camps to bathing ghats where they get onto “ short-run “ escalators for moving towards the water and backward from the water

On both the sides of these “ short – run “ escalators , there will be “ Fountains “ of holy water , forming a long ( 100 ft  )  CANOPY / CASCADE , under which pilgrims will pass , without walking

BATHING  METHOD :  Under “ FOUNTAINS “ of holy waters

 



     

 METHOD  B  [  ROPE WAYS  WITH  HANGING  CHAIRS  ] :

Just install , one above another ( vertically ) , several rope-ways with hanging chairs for 2 persons per chair , safely secured by belts

All rope-ways picking up pilgrims at the Boarding Station and then dropping off at the Disembarkation Station , after passing under “ Holy Water Sprinklers “ at the bathing ghats ( without having to get off the suspended moving chairs )

BATHING  METHOD  :  A “ Shower “ of holy water

 




https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9-M4fXI16QELJnjKkX5eXsWeXyTukpysH8klYL08vCp8HbA3ysrTx0qnSJa26B_FPysTuEZyToZqfMdjRCvEzkikC52cEAq_6rBvMVWW7Jo5C_XKPL3FSeuJVfVMudKiIfJuufNohswuA/s640/KM2.jpg





METHOD   C  [  ROLLER  COASTERS  ] :

 

Pilgrims will get onto roller coaster trollies at the Embarkation point .

Coaster will move towards the river waters ( at a height of 20 feet for a panoramic viewing experience ) .

When it reaches 30 feet over the river , coaster will slope down in such a way that the trollies dip into the water

The pilgrims will get submerged into the water  [ only up to their chests  ] for a distance of 10 feet

At the end , coaster trollies will emerge from the water , again rise to a height of 20 feet and return to a Dis-embarkation point

BATHING  METHOD  :  A genuine DIP into the holy waters

 


https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6prr6XDQ0sevPyZjcIfgmkK8nfV_CIRaumudc1AEKRZaLQgoi6Lw2ZB9DBHPE1cZ2ZRix5VBe83YEmY2Aa0gp8JZzq3WrrG6AFna8oqVJYstJ1_f1MxmZCabEQQNsyGXCMY5JtTcOxiAl/s640/KM3.jpg

 

Main Concept :

     Simply eliminate walking ( stampede happens when impatient people try to overtake

     pilgrims walking in front of them or have ability to run helter-skelter under some

     perceived threat )

 

What can this “ Escalator / Ropeway “ innovation do for India ?

In 2017 , India got 10 million foreign visitors , bringing in $ 27 Billion

$ 2700 per foreign visitor as against Saudi getting  $ 6,000 per visitor  !

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/foreign-tourist-arrivals-hit-new-high-of-one-crore-earnings-cross-27-billion-mark/articleshow/62531855.cms  )

With proposed innovation , this figure could well go up to 15 million tourists in 2019 , bringing in $ 150 billion in foreign exchange  ! ( $ 10,000 per visitor  !  )

This is an opportunity to re-write our TOURISM story  !

 

I hope Shri K J Alphons ( Minister of Tourism / mos.tourism@gov.in ) asks ,

       Ministry of Urban Development to prepare a MASTER PLAN for Kumbh centered around this CONVEYOR-BELT  concept

      India’s leading Engineering Companies to submit their “ Expression of Interest “


=================================================

What else can make Kumbh , “ The Greatest Show on Earth “  ?

 

Please consider the following :

 

·    Strategically located “ Food Courts “ and “ Shopping Malls

     A doctor with emergency “ Medical Aids / Ambulance “ in each Police Station

    Free Wi Fi hotspots all over the ground ( Foreign Visitors want to use Skype ! )

   A 200 ft tall “ Central Tower “ with “ Viewing Gallery

   Sitting / resting benches for the elderly, in small  “ Gardens “ all over the place

   No entry to any private vehicles

   “ Bicycle Lanes “ with Bicycle Stands every 500 m ( with FREE use of bicycles )

      At each “ Arrival Point “ ( Railway Station / Bus Stands / Airport / Parking Plots for private vehicles ) , each arriving visitor to be welcomed with a RFID sensor embedded wrist-band ( with a beautiful rendering of Ganga Mata and bearing a description which reads :

“  नमो गंगे – Kumbh 2019 “

Before issuing the wrist band, pilgrim’s AADHAR NO will be entered into the sensor

It will be mandatory for the visitors to wear this Wrist Band as long as they are inside the “ PILGRIMAGE PERIMETER “

This will help the central PILGRIM TRAFFIC CONTROL ROOM , to track  :

      #   each and every visitor

      #   missing / lost persons

     #    mischief-mongers / miscreants

     #    accident victims / sick persons


For a fool proof solution for CROWD CONTROL , I urge Kumbh Mela Administation to consider :

#    Increasing the no of CCTV cameras from 1,000 to 10,000

#    Couple these with a FACE RECOGNITION software , such that those who attempt

      to “ WALK “ ( instead of riding ), inside the Pilgrimage Perimeter ( area covered by

      Methods A / B / C ,described earlier ) will find their face, name, and their Aadhar ID

      number displayed  on a large LED screen , as described in :

 

    
“ If you jaywalk in China, facial recognition means , You’ll walk away with a fine “

 

https://futurism.com/facial-recognition-china-social-credit/ 

 

I am sending this blog to the following Officers / Organizations , concerned with making KUMBH–2019, a happy experience for pilgrims. Readers may want to contact them :

·         Cmup@nic.in

·         YogiAdityanath72@gmail.com

·         dg.upt1@gmail.com

·         uptourismallahabad@uptuorism.com

·         Kumbhmeladhikari-up@nic.in

·         commall@nic.in

·         dmall@nic.in

·         Rtoah-up@nic.in

·         rmald@upsrtc.com

·         Ramkumarshukla02@gmail.com

·         akcrttc@gmail.com

·         ramshabdyadav@bsnl.co.in

·         Spmisra11@gmail.com

·         Rpgoswami56@gmail.com

·         Kumbhmela201213@gmail.com

·         Office-usa@createx.in

·         info@kumbhmela2019.co.in

·         kumbhexperiences@gmail.com

·         info@tourmyindia.com

·         service@allahabadkumbhyatra.com

·         mahakumbhyatraallahabad@gmail.com

·         devinekumbhmela@gmail.com

·         info@thekumbhallahabad.com

·         info@thekumbhyatra.com

·         info@kumbhmelaservices.com

·         info@mahakumbhfestival.com

·         mail@HaridwarRishikeshTourism.com

·         Sales@kumbhcampindia.com

·         theallahabadkumbh@gmail.com


==============================

Currently , we get some 70,000 visitors every day at Taj Mahal . For better security , there is a plan to restrict this number to 40 ,000 per day

      Without having to worry about security , can we raise this number to 100,000 per day  ?

      Yes , of course  !  Install ropeway around the Taj and provide “ Augumented Reality headsets “ to visitors ( no entry inside the mausoleum ! )

 

Dear Yogiji :

 

Kumbh 2019 attracted some 12 crore pilgrims . MahaKumbh 2025 has attracted some 18 Crore in 18 days !

Today ( on Mauni Amavasya day ) , within 24 hours, administration have expected some 10 CRORE pilgrims !

For the total period of 46 days, some 40 Crore are expected   

I am glad that some of my 6 year old suggestions , listed above-mentioned email , have been implemented

While congratulating you – and your team – for making great arrangements , I wish you had also implemented my

Bathing Arrangement “ suggestions listed in my email

That would have added at the most , Rs 700 crores to your estimate of Rs 7,000 Crores

I once again urge you to implement it by MARCH 2026

That would enable Prayagraj to host a Mini-Kumbh , every year !

Related Reading

> How about Ropeway at Mahakumbh ? ..  25 Oct 2024

 

With regards,

Hemen Parekh

www.My-Teacher.in  /  29 Jan 2025  

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