A stampede at a railway station in the heart of the national capital speaks poorly about our country. At least 18 people, mostly women and children, were killed in a stampede at New Delhi Railway Station on the night of February 15. Many of the victims were pilgrims waiting to travel to the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj.
The 45-day mela, anticipated to be the world's biggest religious gathering, started on January 13 and will end on February 26. The New Delhi Railway Station tragedy is the second fatal stampede associated with the Kumbh Mela. The first occurred at the Sangam in Prayagraj on January 29 and claimed 30 lives, according to the Uttar Pradesh government's official statistics. Reports also reveal that about 141 Kumbh pilgrims have been killed in road accidents since January 13.
This merits the question once more: why do we not have any regard for precious lives in India? In the land of 'VIP' culture, don't common people deserve some dignity too?
Crowd Mismanagement
The causes for each stampede are different but they point to either a lack of fire safety, crowd mismanagement and disruptions due to VIP movement, or crumbling infrastructure. Such is the frenzy about Kumbh that despite a deadly stampede on January 29, the fair continues to draw millions of pilgrims from different parts of India and the world.
The commute to Prayagraj itself is tedious. Due to skyrocketing flight tickets, air travel was accessible only to a few. Social media is flooded with photos and videos of crowds on railway platforms waiting to board Prayagraj-bound trains. Perhaps the Railways should have run special trains for the 45-day fare. Those who choose to travel by road have also had to contend with huge traffic jams and fatal road accidents, in which some people have reportedly lost their lives too.
The Uttar Pradesh government has employed technology like aerial surveillance and tracking of mobile movements to monitor people. It must also be commended for its extraordinary attempt to handle the mammoth population. Already, an estimated 50 crore people have visited Kumbh.
Yet, there have been shortcomings. There have been several incidents of fire breaking out at different places during the ongoing mela, destroying tents, shops, huts, etc.
India's so-called ‘VIP culture', which prioritises a privileged few over others, remains inescapable, evident on roads, in hospitals, temples and even at Kumbh. Eyewitnesses say they were stranded in jams for many hours on the days of VIP visits. Even a 20-km drive from the Prayagraj airport to the Kumbh venue took over four hours on VIP movement days.
Anticipating the surge of ‘VIP movement', it would have been prudent for the government to make separate arrangements for them without inconveniencing the common masses. Similarly, on days culminating the special ‘snan' days, when there was a massive surge of devotees, there should have been better preparedness. Major lapses, like poor planning, insufficient exits, inadequate crowd control and lack of emergency preparedness led to unfortunate incidents.
No Value For Life
Railway stations, like any confined public space, have their own crowd-holding capacity. According to reports, chaos ensued due to a gamut of reasons. From passenger pile-up on platforms to announcements leading to change in platforms, neither the railway staff nor the Delhi Police effectively checked the flow of passengers towards the New Delhi Railway Station. In the age of technology, with advanced predictive analytics tools easily available, why weren't any modern methods used to assess the magnitude of the event and plan accordingly?
According to the National Crime Records Bureau's (NCRB) report titled ‘Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India', between 2001 and 2022, a total of 3,074 lives have been lost due to stampedes in India. Another study points out that 79% of stampedes in the country occur at religious events, compared to political or entertainment-related gatherings. Yet, we don't seem to learn.
Most victims of stampedes in India don't have adequate access to medical and social safety nets. The burden is borne not just by the victim but by their entire household, often depriving families of their primary earning member. Medical expenses, compensation, legal costs, and loss of economic productivity are added burdens. country.
Post the New Delhi stampede, the railway minister announced ‘holding areas' for passengers at 60 stations that witness high footfall, particularly during events and festivals. The Railways will also release a crowd-management manual and raise awareness among people. This announcement, though important, is too little, and too late.
Not too long ago, Telugu actor Allu Arjun was arrested due to the death of one person in a stampede during the screening of Pushpa 2. It's ironic that no accountability has been fixed for the deaths of pilgrims in Kumbh-related incidents.
India is the most populous country in the world. For the Centre and the state governments, preparing and tackling stampede-like situations should be necessary training. Human lives can't be just figures.
(The author is Contributing Editor, NDTV)
Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author
