Uttarakhand Government to Enhance Crowd Management at Temples Following Tragic Incident

Plan for Improved Safety Measures at Temples

In response to the recent stampede at the Mansa Devi Temple in Haridwar, the Uttarakhand government is set to develop a comprehensive plan aimed at improving crowd management and ensuring the safety of devotees at significant temples across the state. This initiative will involve expert assessments of various aspects related to safety and crowd control.

The unfortunate incident on Sunday resulted in the loss of eight lives and left 30 others injured. Following this tragedy, a meeting was convened on Tuesday with senior officials to discuss security measures at religious sites. Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan emphasized the need for an initial survey of key temples, including Mansa Devi, Chandi Devi, Neelkanth, Kainchi Dham, and Purnagiri, to evaluate their safety protocols.

Bardhan stated that a team of specialists will conduct surveys at these temple areas to assess crowd management strategies, evacuation plans, and civil engineering solutions for identified bottleneck areas. They will formulate a detailed plan and establish standard operating procedures (SOPs).

He instructed local authorities and stakeholders at religious sites to provide full support to the expert team. Additionally, Bardhan highlighted the importance of identifying all religious sites that experience heavy crowds on significant days, where stampede risks may arise, and ensuring both short-term and long-term safety measures are implemented.

The Chief Secretary also called for the removal of encroachments along temple routes to widen access, continuous campaigns to clear obstructions, the use of technology for crowd management, and the establishment of designated areas to temporarily hold devotees during peak crowd situations.