Haridwar, Jul 29 (PTI) One-way traffic of devotees, and limited and staggered entry and exit were a few of the suggestions mooted on Tuesday in a meeting to prevent a repeat of the stampede that took eight lives at Haridwar’s Mansa Devi temple.
The district administration held a meeting with the managements of Mansa Devi and Chandi Devi temples, both built on hilltops, to discuss crowd management and safety measures.
Superintendent of Police Pankaj Gairola said a safety audit and crowd management plans are underway so that there is no possibility of any stampede or accident in both temples in the future.
He said one such measure is a one-way system for the movement of devotees on the temple routes.
He said only a specific number of devotees that the temple can accommodate at a time will be allowed to enter.
On special festivals, there will be a zig-zag system for pilgrims to come and go, with the deployment of the police force, Gairola said.
Mahant Bhavani Shankar of Chandi Devi temple, who attended the meeting, said deployment of police to control the crowds on special occasions is a must.
He said the administration was also apprised of the poor condition of the roads meant for pedestrians to the Chandi Devi temple.
The roads will be repaired and toilets and rest points will be built on the way, the authorities responded, he said.
According to a decision taken at the meeting, electricity connections in the temple premises will also be audited, and illegal connections will be disconnected.
The administration will start a campaign against encroachments, both inside and outside the temple premises.
On Sunday, a stampede broke out during a rush of pilgrims along a stair route leading to the Mansa Devi temple, killing eight people and leaving 30 injured.
Rumours of an electricity current where the stairs begin triggered panic among people, leading to the stampede, Haridwar Senior Superintendent of Police Pramendra Singh Dobal told PTI Videos. PTI COR ALM VN VN
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