Patna : The Bihar State Disaster Management Authority (BSDMA) has issued crowd management guidelines for large public gatherings, calling for advance planning, continuous surveillance and coordinated emergency arrangements at major events across the state.
The guidelines cover religious fairs, cultural programmes, sporting events and political rallies, where large crowds can create safety risks if movement and entry and exit arrangements are not properly managed.
The authority has stressed the need to put crowd-control arrangements in place before major events, including the use of CCTV cameras, drones and public address systems.
CCTV And Drones For Continuous Monitoring
Under the guidelines, CCTV cameras and drones are to be used to monitor crowd density and movement at major gatherings.
Live monitoring should be carried out from a designated control room so that officials can identify unusual crowd build-up and respond quickly.
A public address system should also be available to provide clear instructions to visitors and prevent confusion or unnecessary crowd accumulation.
Identifying Major Crowd Risks
According to the authority, crowd-related incidents can be triggered by several factors, including overcrowding, narrow entry and exit points, rumours, electrical problems and inadequate basic facilities.
Sudden increases in crowd pressure at religious, cultural and political events can also create dangerous situations.
The guidelines broadly classify crowd-related risks into structural, human and natural factors, allowing organisers and authorities to assess potential problems before an event begins.
Advance Planning And Risk Assessment
The authority has stressed that crowd safety arrangements should be completed well in advance.
Before any major event, organisers and officials should assess the expected crowd size, venue capacity, emergency exits and traffic management requirements.
Entry and exit routes should be separate and sufficiently wide to prevent people from converging at a single point.
The venue layout should also allow crowds to move smoothly without creating bottlenecks.
Control Rooms To Monitor Crowd Movement
CCTV and drone feeds should be connected to a live monitoring system, allowing officials to track crowd density and movement.
A dedicated control room can help authorities identify areas where crowd pressure is increasing and coordinate an immediate response.
The guidelines also emphasise the use of public announcement systems to counter rumours and provide clear directions during crowded events.
Police, NDRF And Volunteers To Coordinate
The guidelines call for coordinated deployment of police personnel, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams and volunteers according to the scale and risk level of an event.
Their responsibilities should be clearly defined before the gathering begins, with communication and coordination arrangements established in advance.
The BSDMA has stressed that effective crowd management depends on pre-event risk assessment, proper venue planning, real-time monitoring and coordinated emergency response.
The guidelines are intended to strengthen safety arrangements at major gatherings across Bihar and reduce the possibility of crowd-related accidents through advance preparedness and timely intervention.
