Tragic start: Editorial on Chorebagan stampede and the need for better crowd management

A pall of gloom has descended on the City of Joy, that too during Durga Puja, Bengal’s most popular festival. At least 19 people were killed and several injured in a stampede at the Chorbagan Sabojanin Puja pandal. Calcutta has witnessed mishaps during Durga Puja before. Fire and rain have struck down pandals; a stampede-like situation had developed at a Puja in Deshapriya Park some years ago but, mercifully, lives had not been lost then. A tragedy of the scale witnessed at Chorbagan is unprecedented. The state government, mindful of the extent of the tragedy and its possible consequences, has acted quickly. Compensation as well as government employment has been announced for the families of victims. More important, a fact-­finding committee would look into what led to the deaths. Several other Pujas have been directed to shut down to assess their state of preparedness in a wise move.

A report by the National Disaster Management Authority may be relevant in this context. In India, the majority of crowd disasters — most occur at religious places — is the result of a number of overlapping structural lapses, such as ill-planned exit and entry routes, overcrowding, and chaotic directives. Significantly, when crowds build up beyond a venue’s capacity, even a small incident — sudden rain, barricade collapse, or rumour — the NDMA’s findings argue, may have unforeseen consequences. Reports suggest that a narrow and curved exit proved to be fatal on this occasion after the swelling crowd, trying to escape inclement weather, barged into the premises. Inadequate lighting, poorly functioning air-conditioning and the lack of emergency medical apparatus
aggravated the situation further. The Kolkata Police has been known to manage Durga Puja crowds quite well over the years. But the force gave a poor account of itself this time. The Puja at Chorbagan is known to draw large crowds. The locality is also criss-crossed by narrow lanes. Why did the police not prepare for a possible adverse outcome? Accountability must be demanded of the powers that be. A reappraisal of the structural preparedness of pandals must be accompanied
by sustained sensitisation of people and personnel involved in crowd management during festivities. There must not be a repetition of this tragedy
in the future.