Patna: The Bihar State Disaster Management Authority has issued guidelines for managing crowds at religious fairs, cultural programmes, sports events and political rallies, with authorities directed to put comprehensive safety arrangements in place before major gatherings.
The guidelines call for the use of CCTV cameras, drones and public address systems, along with live monitoring from control rooms, to track crowd movement and respond quickly to potential risks.
Risk Assessment Before Events
The Authority has identified overcrowding, narrow entry and exit points, rumours and failures in electricity or basic infrastructure among the key factors that can contribute to crowd-control failures.
It has also noted that sudden increases in crowd pressure during religious, cultural and political events can lead to dangerous situations, including stampedes.
The risks have been classified into structural, human and natural factors to help the administration prepare appropriate measures in advance.
Separate Entry And Exit Routes
The guidelines require authorities to assess the expected crowd size against the capacity of the venue before an event.
Emergency evacuation routes and traffic-management plans must also be prepared in advance. Separate and sufficiently wide routes for entry and exit should be designated to prevent crowd accumulation at a single point.
CCTV And Drone Monitoring
Crowd density and movement are to be monitored continuously through CCTV and drone cameras. Authorities have been asked to establish control rooms for live monitoring and coordination during major events.
Public address systems should also be made mandatory to provide clear instructions, discourage the spread of rumours and prevent people from gathering excessively at one location.
Police, NDRF And Volunteers
The guidelines call for timely deployment of police personnel, National Disaster Response Force personnel and trained volunteers.
The teams are expected to work in coordination so that crowd movement, emergency response and evacuation can be managed effectively throughout the event
