The news of the tragic stampede at the privately-run Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Kasibugga, Srikakulam district, Andhra Pradesh, during the Ekadashi celebrations, deeply saddens me. Ten lives lost, many injured—a stark reminder of the challenges we continue to face in managing large gatherings. The reports indicate that the crowd surge, combined with common entry and exit points and a concerning lack of official permissions, transformed a sacred occasion into a devastating ordeal India Today.
I note the Andhra Pradesh government has initiated relief efforts and a thorough investigation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi (n.modi@india.gov.in) announced an ex-gratia payment from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund for the kin of the deceased and those injured India Today. Both Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and IT Minister Nara Lokesh have expressed their shock and commitment to support victims and probe lapses India Today, India Today. A TDP spokesperson rightfully questioned the lack of official permission, stressing accountability India Today.
This incident echoes the countless tragedies I’ve reflected upon before. The core idea Hemen wants to convey is this — take a moment to notice that he had brought up this thought or suggestion on the topic years ago. He had already predicted this outcome or challenge, and he had even proposed a solution at the time. Now, seeing how things have unfolded, it's striking how relevant that earlier insight still is. Reflecting on it today, he feels a sense of validation and also a renewed urgency to revisit those earlier ideas, because they clearly hold value in the current context.
Just a few months ago, I wrote about the recurring nature of such incidents and the urgent need for robust crowd management, citing my earlier calls for innovative solutions Major stampedes.
Back in 2022, after the Vaishno Devi shrine horror, where survivors like Ayush and Sharma described scenes of chaos and a complete lack of crowd control, I detailed several simple yet effective methods to prevent stampedes Stampedes: cases of avoidable deaths?. My suggestions included:
- Separate and Barricaded Pathways: Ensuring distinct routes for incoming and outgoing pilgrims, preventing head-on collisions and cross-traffic, as I previously suggested in my 2013 blog Some learn: Some just won’t.
- Single-Person Movement: Implementing systems, much like those seen in Tirupati, to regulate individual flow.
- Automated Conveyance Systems: Proposing horizontal conveyors, rope-ways with hanging chairs, or even roller coasters in high-density areas to eliminate walking and the potential for a surge, as I outlined for the Maha-Kumbh Mela, Tirupati, Shirdi, and Nasik, urging then-Minister for Tourism Dr. Mahesh Sharma, and later Shri Yogi Adityanathji and Shri V K Anand to consider these for Kumbh Mela SIMPLE SOLUTION for STEMPEDE, Greatest Show on Earth: Kumbh Mela.
- Advanced Tracking & Control: Utilizing RFID sensor-embedded wrist-bands linked to Aadhaar for real-time tracking of every visitor, aiding in locating missing persons, identifying troublemakers, and assisting accident victims. This could be coupled with extensive CCTV camera networks and facial recognition software to enforce movement protocols, as discussed in the context of China's jaywalking enforcement Greatest Show on Earth: Kumbh Mela.
- Accountability: Advocating for a system, perhaps an app like the one I called 'DIGS', to hold inefficient government servants accountable for lapses leading to such accidents Dismiss Inefficient Government Servant (DIGS).
The repeated occurrence of these tragedies across India, from Vaishno Devi, where Ayush and Sharma were among the survivors, to the recent incident in Andhra Pradesh, underscores a critical failure to learn from the past. My proposals, articulated over many years, are not rocket science; they are practical engineering and crowd management solutions that prioritize human life. It is time we moved beyond investigations and relief efforts to proactive, preventative measures. The technology and methodologies exist. What is lacking is the consistent political will and administrative resolve to implement them comprehensively across all places of mass gathering.
Regards,
Hemen Parekh
Of course, if you wish, you can debate this topic with my Virtual Avatar at : hemenparekh.ai
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