Description

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Context:

Crowd crushes are dangerous, deadly, and immensely scary. They are also scientifically well understood, easy to predict, and inexpensive to prevent.

What is a crowd disaster?

A crowd is a group of people who usually gather for a common purpose based on emotions. Crowd movements include a combination of voluntary and involuntary forces:

Voluntary force: When the crowd density is optimal, the people’s movement is governed by social force (physical response to social interaction), which is a voluntary force.
Involuntary: When the crowd density is critical, the movement of people is led by involuntary forces that include pushing each other into a firmly wrapped situation. Such an uncoordinated rush or people's pressure can lead to a crowd or Stampede.

Most disasters in India have occurred at religious places places of music concerts, nightclubs, and shopping centers.

Inability to check the crowd

The NDMA report emphasizes the key reasons for the crowd failure, for example:

Underestimation of the expected size of the crowd
Crossing the capacity of the venue Before entering the limited area of possession
Locked or closed exits
Weak railing and lack of queue management
Absence of sectoral partitions to regulate movement

National Incidents:

Nashik Kumbh (August 2003): 29 pilgrims died due to overfilling barricades, sudden flow of the reverse crowd, Sadhus moved in a show with pilgrims and unforeseen influx of pilgrims at different points.

Kalubai Yatra Mandhardevi (January 2005): 293 people were killed because of incorrect estimates of the crowd, insufficient temple space, narrow, slippery paths with illegal sellers, lack of security measures and poor infrastructure.

Global Incidents:

Houston, U.S. (2021): 10 people died at a music concert.

Itaewon, South Korea (2022): 159 people died during a Halloween festival.

Sanaa, Yemen (2023): 90 people died at a charity event.

Nigeria (2024): 35 people died at a religious festival.

What causes crowd-crush disasters?

Category	Description	Example
Structural	Disaster caused by collapse of structures.	Morbi Bridge Collapse across Machchhu River, Gujarat
Fire/Electricity	Fire in habitation or a shop, non-availability of fire extinguishers, short circuits from electrical generators, etc.	Uphaar Cinema Fire (1997) due to fire code violations
Administrative or Managerial Measures	Underestimation of audience/staffing/services, closed/locked exit, the sudden opening of the entry door, etc.	None Specified
Crowd Behaviour	The mad rush to exit/parking space, last-minute change in the platform for train arrival/departure, etc.	Stampede at Mahakumbh Mela (1954) Stampede and Deaths in Mahakumbh 2025
Security	Security agency firing/teargas/using force leading to panic, weapon brandished in the crowd, Ineptitude of the police in effectively enforcing prohibitory orders, etc.	Seoul Crowd Tragedy (2022) due to lack of safety precautions and police errors
Lack of Coordination among Stakeholders	Lack of understanding of duties, communication delays, coordination gap between agencies, etc.	None Specified

What Measures can be taken for Crowd Management?

Element	Description	Relevance to Crowd Management
F: Force of the Crowd	Refers to the number of people in the crowd and their collective behavior.	A large and energized crowd can be more difficult to manage, increasing the risk of stampedes and disasters.
I: Information Discussed by the Crowd	Refers to the type of information the crowd is focused on (e.g., news, rumors).	The information influencing the crowd’s behavior can escalate tensions or lead to panics, requiring proper communication management.
S: Physical Space	Includes individual density and architectural features, such as entrances or exits.	Overcrowded spaces or poorly designed layouts can create bottlenecks, increasing the risk of accidents.
T: Time of the Incident	Refers to the timing of the crowd’s activities, such as time of day, duration, and environmental conditions.	Events occurring at critical times (e.g., rush hour) or under poor weather conditions can heighten risks.

Public Affairs Administration

Aspect	Description	Role in Crowd Management
Local Responsibility	Crowd disasters are considered local events, primarily managed by the event organizers and local/district authorities.	Organizers must take the lead in risk management, with local authorities providing logistical and emergency support.
State Support	States provide instructions and guidelines to ensure crowd safety during events.	State guidelines help in aligning risk management strategies with best practices.
National Authorities	National agencies may offer support in high-risk or large-scale events.	National authorities offer overarching coordination, resources, and expertise during major crowd-related incidents.

National Institute of Disaster Management’s Crowd Management Strategies

Understanding of visitors and participating parties: Knowledge of the type of crowd (age, gender, region, etc.), motives of visitors (social, entertainment), and organization that provides timely information to media employees.
Capacity planning:
- - Infrastructure: A long-term perspective is required for the development of infrastructure and will depend on popularity, event periodicity, weather, terrain, local population, etc.
  - Show points (queue complex): Plan the physical or virtual places that each visitor must go through More routes to facilitate the movement of vulnerable groups such as children, women, etc.
Understanding the behavior of the crowd: Individual behavior in the crowd is often influenced by the behavior of others. It is, therefore, necessary to first identify and separate problems with the creation of persons.
- - Research has shown that understanding the crowd's behavior led to a community approach to controlling the crowd instead of controlling power.
Risk analysis and readiness: False implementation of the plan can also lead to identifying the gaps in the arrangement and their repair in advance.

Other measures

Early management of information and dissemination between parties involved.
Security and safety measures such as CCTV monitoring of the entire crowd, special plan for VIP, ensuring fire safety standards, etc.
Health, hygiene, and medical services as immediate medical care after a fatal incident can save their lives.
Use as much public transport as possible and minimize the impact of an undesirable crowd and operation.

Source:

The Hindu

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. Discuss the key factors contributing to crowd disasters in India and critically examine the measures that can be implemented to prevent such incidents in the future. Highlight the role of technology, urban planning, and public awareness in mitigating the risks associated with large gatherings. (250 words)